The New Broken Hearts Club
by Ice Icy Kettle Fals N Nameless
Summary: A group of gay teens deal with more than anyone could ask for. Coming out stories, major X-Over's, and psychic visions abound. Can they make it through all of this, or will they be destroyed by these problems, or maybe even themselves?
1. Pages

This is a page for the days during this story. The times of certain events and things may be confusing for people, and so I'm using this page to clarify. With each page break, it's a certain day/morning/noon/night. These are where the page breaks were in my doc. And that's why I have page numbers. You should be able to count the page break and match it up with where the time is from this page though. I'll update this page with each new chapter I post, ok?

Page Breaks:

Break 1: PG.3 - Monday Night

Break 2: PG.13 - Tuesday Morning

Break 3: PG.23 - Tuesday Afternoon + Night

Break 4: PG.31 - Thursday Morning

Break 5: PG.41 - Thursday Afternoon + Night

Break 6: PG.59 - Friday Morning

Break 7: PG.69 - Friday Afternoon

Break 8: PG.80 - Friday Night into Saturday Morning

Break 9: PG.88 - Saturday Afternoon + Night into Sunday Morning

Break 10: PG.118 - Sunday Morning + Afternoon

Final Break: PG.132 - A/N


	2. Hella Stories

Title: The New Broken Hearts Club(4)

Fandom: High School Musical, Degrassi, Spangas, Drake and Josh, That's So Raven, and True Jackson VP.

Pairing: Secret

Ages:

Troy: 18

Jason: 17

Peter: 18

Thorsten: 18

Drake: 17

Ryan: 17

Nameless: Hi….I'm doing the..…..Summery and Warnings….so yeah…

Summery: A group of gay teens deal with more than anyone could ask for. Coming out stories, major X-Over's, and psychic visions abound. Can they make it through all of this, or will they be destroyed by these problems, or maybe even themselves?

Warnings: (Takes deep breath)…Swearing, Theft, Semi-Harsh Break-Ups, Horny Teenagers, Rushed + Cliff Hanger Endings, Alcoholism, Friendship fall-outs, Attempted Rape, Character Death(s), Child Abuse, Gay Bashing, Molestation, Truancy, Comically-Abusive + Going Insane Mrs. Bolton, Rich + Smart Jason, Overreacting + Full of himself Troy, EXTREMELY Overemotional Thorsten, Ass-Kicking + Ninja Ryan, Curious Jack Bolton, Gabby Bashing, Evil Gabby, Random events falling into place and Emotional coming out stories, non-true, non-depiction of anyone in real life. (Takes harsh deep breath)Any similarity is purely unintentional(Smiles). And that's just this chapter. This contains Slash, that means sexual and emotional interactions of two males on a romantic level, if your not on it then 'Get on they level, WHAT, get on they level, WHAT!'…..don't own…

Icy's A/N: Well hello there fan fiction crowd. This is Icy here, the other half of this twisted author. I am the female side of this author, Storm being the male side. It's more simple than it actually sounds.

Storm: But it's just as weird. You're a chick in a guys mind? And weren't you a male when he wrote 'Friends'?…..oh my god….I'm married to a she male….[(_)]

Icy: /(_)\…../(F_F)\...(Freezes in Hailstorm then kicks across room) Seeing as how he is indisposed, and may be for the rest of the story, I'll do the disclaimer as well.

Disclaimer: Icy and Storm, as well as our nameless creator, do not own…(Deep breath)…'Idea for DVD's' 'Snow White', 'Halo 3', 'Dead or Alive: The movie', 'Butter Fingers', 'Dead or Alive: The Game', 'Married with Children', 'Degrassi', 'Heineken', 'Bud Light', 'Mortal Kombat: Arcade Game', 'Killer Instinct: Arcade Game', 'Hello Kitty'…..just read…(Deep breath) 'Grease: The Movie', 'Skee Ball', 'Pizza Hut', 'High School Musical', 'NCIS', 'That's So Raven', 'Drake and Josh', or 'Spangas'(Smiles proudly), oh, and again, only this chapter so far…/( ^_^)\. We also don't own any cars in this story, or any car for that matter. If you wish to sue, which there really isn't any reason for you to, please do not, you will get nothing but an empty victory or about 2 bucks and a migraine from having to deal with someone who is quite possible certifiable.

Storm: (Hops over on frozen feet) T-t-tha-that…wa-was….c-cr-crue-el…(Strikes self with lightning)…Toasty…

Icy: You're an idiot

Storm: Thank you. Anyway, everything in the 'Warnings' and 'Disclaimer' section may not be in this chapter, but they will be in this story, so if anything in either offends you, please leave now, for Flames will be given to our Sword Master/Fire Wielder and used to make his weapons to maim you with.

_**Flashback Stories**_

_Singing_

Story

Now on to a tale that might not end well…

* * *

Troy sat in his room staring at the work presented to him. He was to work on a history project that was 25% of his grade. Why Ms. Novato hated him he'll never know. To make matters worse, he was working with Jason cross. Make no mistake, Troy was cool with Jason, but he only really hung out with him when Chad or Zeke was around. Not only that, but he knew that Jason could be slightly dense about some things. He knew that if he was to get this project finished, he would have to work on almost everything himself. Troy looked over to Jason to see him looking at the computer with a perplexed look about him. Troy sighed, realizing that it must have been causing such a strain on the poor boy.

"Jason, why don't you head home, I'll take care of the project and you can just help with the presentation." Troy said, walking over from his bed and patting the poor boy on his shoulder. Jason, startled, tried to close the pages that he was looking at. "What's all that-that has got to be the most sophisticated math problem I've ever seen in my life." Troy stated seeing the problem have numbers, letters, and symbols out the wazoo.

"It's really not that hard to solve…well, it shouldn't be. I just can't seem to get this side of the problem to work out." Jason said bringing the problem back up and pointing to a series of numbers that made Troy feel that the honors math class he was in was remedial.

"How the hell do you know how to do all these problems?" Troy asked glancing at Jason sideways, trying to talk to the boy but concentrate on the problem to see if he could find the alphabet. So far F, Q, and Z were the only ones missing. Jason looked away for a moment before sighing.

"Guess my secret's out." He said looking back at Troy giving him a feint smile.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a genius. No really, I'm serious." He said after Troy rolled his eyes. "I've been in honors classes up until I got to High School. My parents disapproved, but they told me that I could do whatever I wanted with my life once I got to High School, as long as my grades were up. I asked all the teachers to keep it under wraps, cause I wanted to have a normal life for once. So they promised to keep my grades, the real ones, under wraps so you all would be friends with me for me and not my brain. Plus they didn't want you trying to copy off my work just cause you knew that it'd always be right."

Jason finished and smiled up at Troy then slightly frowned at the look of shock and hurt on the boys face.

"You could've at least told the team. I mean yeah some of them would be trying to copy every chance they got, but I only copied Gabriella's work maybe four or five times last semester." Troy said defending his honor as well as his well-endowed brain, though in no league of Jason's.

"I guess, I'm sorry for keeping this from you guys, but since you know now at least, I guess I should tell you, I already wrote the paper we had to do." Jason said handing over at least seven pages from his book bag. "I knew that you might have a hard time and we only needed the board to present, so I was gonna slip it to the teacher and just give the presentation by what you came up with." Jason said smiling sheepishly.

"Well thanks, nice to see you have so much respect for my psyche." Troy said, feigning sadness. Jason gave him a look that plainly said, 'I'm not buying it', so he just grinned at Jason and handed back the paper. "I'm cool with that, and to keep with your fragile state of distrust, I shall work on another paper for our presentation. Though I'm not all that opposed to just making note cards from your-"

"Start writing hotshot."

"Yes ma'am." Troy said walking back over to his bed. He wasn't even halfway over before Jason tackled him from behind. They started to wrestle and landed in a heap on the floor just as his mother came in.

"Jason your mother- oh….um…sorry, I'll come back later." She said about to walk out. She had walked in to find Jason laid out on the floor with only a wife beater on, legs scrunched up so that his knees were in the air, and looking…spent. Troy was straddling Jason's hips, and somehow in the mess became shirtless, also looking spent, both panting heavily and eye lids half raised to show clouded over eyes.

"MOM! It's not what it looks like….um…we were just….working on our homework and-"

"For what class 'Sex Ed.'?" She asked jokingly. Jason's face had basically turned into a cranial blood clot, while Troy's face, in almost exact opposition, blanched to the point of rivaling Snow White for palest skin.

"No, mom…what did you want anyway?" Troy asked, hanging his head in utter embarrassment.

"Oh, Jason, your mother wanted to know if you wanted to spend the night. She said your father is on a trip so it's going to be only her to keep you company so you should at least stay with friends." Troy's mother said. Troy looked back at Jason, wondering what his answer was going to be. Jason however, looked like someone had just gotten him a puppy, run it over, told him that the puppy hated him, then gave him another before running that one over as well. It was less then a second for the look to pass over Jason's features, but Troy saw it anyway. Jason however, now his usual smiling self, beamed up at Mrs. Bolton.

"I'd love to, but if you don't mind, I'd like to call her back just to make sure if she's ok. She just wants me to get out more, but I still feel bad for leaving her all alone." Troy's mother must've fell in love with Jason at that moment cause she ran up, dragged the unsuspecting boy off the ground and hugged him until he could no longer request the air he so desperately craved from the tight embrace.

"See Troy, THAT is how you treat your mother." Mrs. Bolton said reprimanding her son.

"I'll keep that in mind." Troy said sarcastically. His mother smacked him upside the head as she walked out. "Hey, what was that for?" He asked her with mock hurt.

"For actually doing your 'Homework'." She said putting air quotes up for 'homework', taunting their earlier actions. Troy, again blanching, chanced a look at Jason. Jason, again turning into pomegranate, walked out of the room before Troy had even fully turned his head.

"Mom, where's dad at again?" Jason asked once he got on the phone with his mother. Troy was standing next to him, waiting to tell him something once he got off the phone. Troy could just barely make out the words 'Drinking' and 'Belt'. but what would they have to do with where his father was?

"Alright, I'll stay here for the night, but go to aunt Sarah's, I don't want you to be all by yourself tonight." Jason said into the phone. Troy couldn't help but smile at the care that Jason showed his mother. His own mother walked past behind him and smacked him in the back of the head again. He bit his tongue to keep silent and mouthed 'What did you do that for?' His mother, in return, mouth 'Cause YOU left me alone last night.', pointing an accusatory finger towards him before walking off. Troy glared at the back of his mothers head for a second before turning back to Jason who, to his surprise, had already hung up the phone. "You ok?" Jason asked him.

"Yeah I'm good. So, what do you wanna do now?" Troy asked. Jason slowly walked over, wiggling his hips in a seductive manner. He got close to Troy and then leaned in so his lips were just barely brushing against his ear.

"Why don't we go do some more….homework." He said before walking off towards the stairs. Troy, for the third time that evening, blanched, though putting Snow White's skin to shame considerably this time, and turned towards Jason to see if he was serious or not. Not, Troy realized when he saw Jason doubled over on the stairs, tears of mirth within his tightly closed eyelids. Troy growled and rushed at him. Jason yelped and rushed up the stairs towards Troy's room. When he got there, he tried to close the door, saving himself a future beating, but Troy was quick and just made it to bash the door open. Jason stumbled back and landed on Troy's bed. Troy walked up to Jason, making sure to be between his legs while he leant over.

"Can we do some extra credit as well?" Troy asked, same seductive tone that Jason had moments ago. Now Jason, for the first time that evening, blanched, looking like he dumped his head in flour.

"Please refrain from doing anymore homework until you have a tutor explain about some of the problems." Bother Jason and Troy turned beat red as they looked out the door towards Troy's father.

"Hey dad…..what are you talking about?" Troy asked, trying to sound less nervous then he already was.

"Your mother told me about what happened, and I don't know if you were joking or not just now, HOWEVER," He stated, holding up his hand to stop both boys from speaking. "I will say that you both need to have a little more experience before going for…extra credit." Mr. Bolton said before walking off. The boys looked at each other and laughed nervously. Unsure of what to do after the awkward moment, the two just sat there for a few moments. Troy finally suggested that they watch a movie or play a game while his mom was fixing dinner. Jason agreed on a video game and so they went into Troy's living room and started up his 360. Halfway through the Tsavo Highway on Halo 3, his mom called the boys into the dining room for dinner. Troy saved and quit the game and then turned it off.

"Oh, Jason, I meant to ask, is your mother alright, her voice seems a little off since the last time I met her, though it could just be the phone." Jason stared at Mrs. Bolton like she lost an eye, grew a horn and wings, turned purple and had a human leg hanging from her mouth.

"You've never met my mother…ha-have y-you?" Jason asked, fear suddenly evident on his face. If Troy and his parents noticed, they were courteous in not showing it.

"Yes I have, at the school fundraiser last year, she was in the dunk tank, Jack got her down after his third try and I scolded him for dunking her."

"It's a dunk tank, THAT'S THE POINT!" Troy and his father said/yelled at the same time. Jason's fear lifted and he was once again smiling, and again, none of the Bolton's commented if they noticed.

"Oh, that was my aunt Sarah, my mom couldn't make it so she volunteered to go in her place." Jason stated simply. They continued to eat and talk, avoiding the subject of parents, for Jason's sake. After they finished Troy asked Jason if he wanted to finish their game. Before he could answer Troy's mother called from somewhere out of the kitchen.

"Oh no you don't, stay off that game." She walked out of the kitchen wearing a mock glare. It faltered, however, when she started to grin. "Remember, it's movie night." Troy, realizing he had forgotten, smacked himself in the head and dragged Jason off to the front room. He walked over to a cabinet and opened it, showing off literally hundreds of DVD's.

"Since your our guest, you get to pick the movie for tonight. Is that alright?" He asked his parents who had just walked in.

"Sure, I don't see why not." His father stated.

"That's fine with me." His mother said. All three looked at Jason. He smiled nervously at them before turning his attention towards the case. It was enormous! How was he expected to pick a DVD from all of them. He decided to just go down the list and see which one caught his eye. He finally settled on 'Dead or Alive'. "When'd we get this?" Mrs. Bolton asked as Jason handed her the DVD.

"I think we got it at that garage sale last year." Jack said popping the DVD in. They sat and watched the action movie, the boys adding commentary every now and again.

"Oh please, Christie is supposed to be assassinating Helena."

"I know, and how OC is this Max character?"

"Same thing with this Weatherby dude."

"I don't think I've ever seen fighting like that." Jason and Troy paused and stared at the person who said this.

"Mom?" Troy asked.

"Well it was a pretty good fight, though I still say that Brad Wong should've been able to take him, I mean really, he's a drunken master." At this, all the males had turned towards her, wide eyed. "I may be female and a mother, but I'll still kick all your butts in DOA, so don't test me." She said glaring at each one of them.

"I think I'm gonna sleep now, since I need to rest my brain and make the scary go away." Troy said getting up to go to his room.

"I'm tired too, I need to save my strength for the future encounters with my three therapists." Jason said joining him. They made their way upstairs and sat on Troy's bed talking about the movie and how they'd finish it some other time. Being boys, amped up from a fighting movie and the fact that a female mother knew what a video game was and knew how to play one, they started to act out fights from the movie, then fights of their own, then just wrestling for the helluvit. Again, they somehow ended up on the floor in a heap and Troy was on top. They sat there for a moment before Jason's eyes went wide. "Troy get off me." Jason said, fear again evident in his voice. Thinking that he was only trying to get him off to try something, Troy stayed put.

"I don't think so."

"Seriously, get off." Jason almost growled.

"What'll you give me if I do?" Troy teased. Jason started to buck and twist under Troy, possibly trying to utilize some cosmic force to remove Troy from his torso before it was too late. However, said cosmic force was the god/goddess of irony and false hope, because Troy leant back and instantly blanched as he felt something poke his backside. "Jason?" Troy asked the dark haired boy underneath him. Jason turned away as Troy got off him. Troy started to stutter as Jason stood abruptly.

"I think I'm gonna go." Jason said grabbing his bag and rushing out of Troy's bedroom. Troy sat on his bed and started to stare off into space, tears forming in his eyes as he went over what had just happened to him and what it meant. His parents came in a moment later.

"Troy honey what's the matter?" His mother asked rushing to his side.

"Can I talk to you?" Troy asked, looking at his dad.

"Sure honey you can-"

"Just dad…" Troy said looking at his mother. His mother, though taken back, nodded and walked out of the room. Before she entered her room Troy had followed and grabbed her to turn her around. "It's not like I don't wanna talk to you, it's just I feel a little more comfortable talking to dad. So don't worry, I will talk to you about this, just when I feel up to it." Troy said simply as he hugged his mother. She hugged back and smiled at him. She then went into her room as Troy went back to his and closed the door.

"So what's this about son?" He father asked.

"I know it seems childish, but do you remember what you used to do when I was younger and needed to talk to you about something important or if I had a nightmare?" Troy's father nodded and went and laid down on the bed and gestured for Troy to lay down. Troy got in between his father's legs and laid his head on his chest.

"Now please talk to me, your starting to scare me Troy."

"First I need to know something."

"What?"

"Do you love me?"

"Of course I do-"

"I mean do you really love me, and will you love me no matter what, I need to know." Troy not really begged but pleaded with his father.

"Yes, you should know this. I will always love you, no matter what you do. You mean the world to me and I'll never let you forget that." His father stated. Troy, hearing this, calmed down slightly.

"Alright well…..me and Jason had started to play fight, you know, to relieve some pent up energy from watching the movie. I had pinned him down and…..something went wrong…."

"Well what?" Jack asked. "Is it why he ran out of the house just now?" Troy just nodded silently hoping that his father would get it and not have to actually say what happened, for fear of what it may mean for him. "So what was the reason." Cursing Falsironical, which is what he named such a cruel goddess, and it had to be a chick, no male was that evil, he looked up into his fathers eyes then looked away.

"Well Jason told me to get off of him. I was thinking he was just messing with me and so I stayed on him. He started to move about trying to get me off of him and then…." Troy looked up at his father and then looked away again. "I felt something…poke me." Troy stated simply.

"What do you mean poke you, what could poke-…..you mean he was-" Troy just nodded silently. "…so he…likes you? I mean I can see how you could be a little emotional about that but really-"

"I was to." Troy said so quietly that his father almost didn't hear him. ALMOST.

"…Troy….are you…" His father left the words out in the air for Troy to catch. Troy didn't know how to respond to the question because he didn't think he'd ever have to. He hadn't really known Jason until this project and up until today the past couple of days hadn't really been a getting to know period. He didn't know why he was so excited to see the boy whenever he came to his house. He also didn't know why his stomach was so intent on doing flips whenever the boy appeared. He couldn't explain the feeling he got when he saw the boy brush his hair out of his eyes, or whenever he saw him smile. Troy looked up at his father and this time held his gaze as he nodded. His father looked away from him, mind reeling. A gay son wasn't exactly what he was expecting. He wasn't homophobic, though something in his gut told him it was because not to many people would openly express this in Albuquerque. He looked back at his son and started to get out of the bed. Troy grabbed onto the front of his dad's shirt, starting to rile up again.

"Dad, remember, I asked you and you said that you'd always love me, you said that you would never let me forget that, so I can't let you forget it either." Troy said crying into his father's shirt. His father got up from the bed, leaving Troy to clutch his pillow and try to cry himself into a stupor. Troy started when he felt someone pat his shoulder a little while later.

"Drink." His father said handing Troy the cup of cocoa. Troy, unsure of weather to trust his father at the moment, slowly took the cup and took a sip. Finding nothing wrong with it, other then lack of marshmallows, drank about half the inviting concoction and then set it on the coaster on his bedside table. He slowly turned back to his father. "I know that I said I loved you." Troy physically winced at the word 'loved.' "I didn't forget…and I still do. No matter how you feel or who you like, I will always love you, you got that." His dad said brushing tears from under each of Troy's eyes with his thumb. Troy grinned at his father, hugging him until he was begging for air. "Do you want me to stay here tonight?" His father asked. Troy, being a bit of a baby for a day, nodded. His father went and got into bed behind Troy and held his son close, brushing his hair as they fell asleep.

* * *

The next day at school, things were far from normal. For starters, Troy had broken up with Gabriella. She in turn, went bad girl and slapped him, walking off in a fit of rage. Troy didn't really care at the moment, he knew he didn't like her as much as he originally did and it was unfair to keep her in a relationship with him when he was only half into it. Next, Jason was….smart. In all his classes Jason told his teachers that he didn't care about hiding his brain anymore. So in math when the Mr. Maledecki announced test scores and grades, everyone but Jason and Troy were surprised to hear that Jason had an A+ for both.

"How the hell is that possible, excuse my French, but seriously…..you…..YOUR FUCKING STUPID!" Sharpay stated simply. All eyes were on Jason.

"I'm not stupid, thank you, I've just been awaiting to share my psyche with someone who will provide stimulating conversation. Unlike you who I am now tired with." Jason stated. The bell rang and Jason and Troy got up and walked out while the rest of the class stayed rooted to their seats awaiting Sharpay's reaction. True to her nature, Sharpay's eyes bulged and her nostrils flared as she let loose probably the loudest shrill she's ever let loose yet. She stalked out of the class only to find Jason gone. She growled and started to walk to her next class.

"No one messes with Sharpay Evans and get's away with it…" She said under her breath as she pressed pass a group of new students that were being shown around by a teacher. One in particular looked her over and whistled at her. She turned and glared at the kid then went wide eyed and then sexy eyed as she saw the most gorgeous man she had ever seen in her life. They may be in high school, but there was no mistake that that was a Greek god from heaven. Tight long sleeved blue shirt to show off all the right curves, and the same with his jeans. She noticed he had on black and blue designer GYM shoes, which were beneath her, but he made it work. Short auburn hair with bangs hanging just above his eyes and the most beautiful hazel eyes she had ever seen in her life. She giggled and waved at him as the tour rounded a corner. He winked at her before he went around with them. Sharpay squealed in delight, her anger for Jason misplaced for a moment. She walked off to her next class happier then she had been earlier that day.

"May I go to the bathroom?" Troy asked from his next class while it was almost time to go. The teacher nodded and handed him the bathroom pass as he made his way out the door. Troy hadn't really wanted to go to the bathroom, he just needed some time alone to think. He wasn't going to get it however, for as soon as he walked out of the class he was distracted by a blond haired teen washing a locker next to him. The blond had on a blue striped polo, tight light blue jeans and white and blue shoes. He came around to see what he was wiping off and blanched when he saw the ugly three letter word in black spray paint on the locker. The boy turned around, realizing that he wasn't alone, and instantly went on the defensive.

"You admiring your work?" The boy asked. This snapped Troy into defense mode himself.

"I wouldn't do anything like that. I guess your new, so you don't know what I mean to this school and the basketball team." Troy said, figuring that the kid would realize who he was talking to and realize that he was an idiot for even suggesting that Troy Bolton would dare to do something so horrendous. The kid hadn't gotten the memo.

"Oh please, I don't care what group your with, they probably helped."

"Take that back, no one on the team would be that idiotic-"

"I doubt that, you just proved that, 'Basketball boy', or are you really only 'Towel boy'. Yeah real important job there hotshot." By then the two were so close that Troy just couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed the poor boy and they started to get into it, throwing comments at each other as they rolled on the ground. The bell rang and people started to file out into the hall. Everyone had heard the argument but waited until the bell to come see. There was an instant circle around the two and even though Troy's last teacher was so close, he couldn't get through the dense crowd of students that had formed. Troy and the poor boy somehow separated and they stood glaring at each other. "Why don't you just admit you did it?"

"CAUSE I DIDN'T DO IT!"

"LIAR!"

"Who are you to question me?"

"THAT," The boy said, pointing to the locker. "Or did you forget that fast. Like I'm gonna trust a jock. I can't get a voucher from you worth anything."

"You can trust me then." All heads turned towards Jason.

"I doubt that." The boy asked. Jason seemed to be contemplating something, but was pulled out of his thoughts at the challenge.

"And who are you to doubt me?"

"The new school FAG obviously, you?"

"I'm the old school FAG-" There were a couple of gasp from people in the crowd, most audible from a few guys rather then girls. "…So I can honestly say that no guy on the team would do this, and if you don't believe me, I'm sure our captain can set you straight….so to speak." Jason added jokingly. By this time the bell had rung but everyone was watching like they were Peggy Bundy and this was an Oprah special bulletin.

"Oh right, your captain, what was it Troy Bolton, yeah I'm sure your old captain can explain to me why his team would be this cruel, so go get him."

"Hello." Troy said extending a hand. The boy looked at the hand, to Troy, the hand, blushed, looked back at Troy, then down at his own feet.

"Your Troy Bolton aren't you?" The boy asked looking back up. Troy simply nodded and the crowd chuckled at the boy's folly. The principal had finally made it to the middle of the crowd.

"Alright go to class, there's nothing to see here. Troy, Jason, Peter, all of you stay." Principal Matsui told them all. The crowd, despairingly, dispersed and went to their separate classes. The three boys watched the crowd shrink and then saw the janitor come towards them with another bucket. "Since you say you both didn't do it, maybe you can help him clean the locker." Both boys nodded to the principal. Matsui then turned towards the third boy, Peter. "I'm sorry that this is all happening on your first day, and even if you don't see it yet, Troy and Jason here are probably going to be your best friends." With that said, Matsui walked off.

"He always on Mr. Miyagi mode?" Peter asked.

"Yep, though not as strong." Troy said.

"Maybe something was slipped into his coffee?" Jason asked the other two. They just nodded in agreement and then all three boys set out on the task of washing the locker. Taking turns, talking whenever it was their turn to rest.

"Sorry about that little outburst, I've been on edge lately and I don't take well to accusation." Troy stated.

"I'm sorry as well. I was just a little angry at the fact that people knew so much about me and only on my first day. I guess we overreacted?" Peter asked sheepishly.

"So where you from Mr. Pete?" Jason asked casually.

"Ontario, Toronto to be exact. School called Degrassi. And it's Peter, Peter Michael Stone." Peter said extending his hand out to Jason who shook it lightly. Peter then turned to Troy. They stared at each other before Peter finally extended his hand which Troy shook, smiling.

"So why'd you move here?" Jason asked. At this question Peter looked down at his shoes. He sat down on the floor against the next locker and started to stare off into space. Troy moved the buckets and sat next to him on his left, while Jason went and sat on his right. "If you don't wanna talk about it that's fine."

"No it's ok….I'm sure you'll find out one way or another anyway." Peter said looking between the two of them before staring off into the distance again. "Alright where to start. I guess it was when my best friend kissed me. Is there a problem?" He asked looking over to Jason after he made a gagging noise.

"Don't like love stories, so if it is, just tell me now so I can plug my ears."

"Ha ha, funny, hilarious. No really, bravo, couldn't have made a better joke if I tried." Peter mocked. Jason glared at him and then looked over to Troy. All three boys broke into fits of laughter. Once they had calmed down Peter went on with his story. "So my friend and I had decided to skip school one day. We were at my house playing my Wii, boxing actually. Anyway, I asked him to show me a couple of moves. He told me to keep my hands up and grabbed them to move them higher. Out of nowhere he holds them away from my face and plants a kiss on me. I was out of my mind for the next week or so after that. I was questioning weather I actually liked it or not, and tried to 'straighten myself out' so to speak by making me and my girlfriend an official item. I had no idea how to take it really. Then I went back to my friend, who is now gay as well, to talk to him…

_**Peter saw Riley sneaking into the woods next to the school and decided to follow. "Now's as good a time as any…" He said to himself, preparing himself for the inevitable conversation that he had to partake in. He finally caught up to Riley to see him with a guy. The weird part was what they were doing. Riley and this other boy were currently in a HEAVY lip lock. "Riley?" Peter called out. Riley, realizing that he had been found out rushed off into the woods, Peter following close behind. "Just wait." Peter called after him.**_

"_**GO AWAY!" Riley yelled. Riley tripped on a log and rolled down a small incline. He tried to get up but failed, to much in a daze to fully move. Peter slowly walked over to Riley. "Just leave me alone."**_

"_**Riley it's fine, who you kiss is your bus-"**_

"_**NOTHING HAPPENED!" Riley yelled finding new strength and grabbing Peter to pull him down so they were face to face. Riley glared at Peter and was about to punch him maybe, had Peter not leant in and kissed him. Riley tried to fight it but he was tired from the trip, tired of running, physically and emotionally. The kiss only lasted a few seconds and then Peter pulled away. Riley looked into Peter's eyes and fear rose up in his own. "I'm gay." Riley said, what looked like, for the first time to even himself. Peter nodded in understanding.**_

"_**I'm Gay as well." Peter stated simply. The words sounded so foreign leaving Peter's mouth but there was nothing he could do about it now. The truth was in the air. Riley and Peter sat there for a long while it seemed, just enjoying the others presence in their fragile states. Riley was the first to speak up.**_

"_**I don't know if you like me like that but maybe-"**_

"_**No, sorry. I do like you, but more as a friend. I probably shouldn't have kissed you, but I….I guess I wanted to be sure." Peter said. They stared at each other again and smiled at each other. "Besides why do you need me. Who was the hottie you were just macken on when I got here?" Riley blushed.**_

"_**Just an old friend….He is a hottie though isn't he?"**_

"_**Ya think?" Peter stated instantly sitting down in the same position as Riley, knees curled up to his chest and leaning on them so they were face to face and on an eyes level. "Seriously you shouldn't be running AWAY from him." Peter said. Realizing that he had left his friend alone, Riley made a move to stand but sat back down. Peter followed his gaze and saw said friend standing a little ways away. He nodded to Peter, letting him know that he was gonna wait until they were done with their moment before he made his way over. Peter nodded back and then turned to Riley. "He seems like a good guy."**_

"_**He is."**_

"_**Well then go to him, I'll be fine. I need to go talk to Mia anyway." Peter looked solemnly at his knees and then saw a hand placed on them within his vision. He looked up at Riley and smiled back at his friend.**_

"_**It's alright, Mia's cool. She'll understand and stay friends with you. I can pretty much guarantee it." Riley said patting Peter on the knee. They stood and hugged each other. When Riley pulled away his friend step up next to him and put an arm around his waist. "Couldn't wait huh?" Riley teased. They started to kiss and stopped when they heard gagging sounds. Riley mock glared at Peter, throwing off the anger it could entail by smiling.**_

"_**Get a room. Nice to meet you by the way, Peter."**_

"_**Eric, nice to meet you too, and we have a room. It's called a forest and it's the best room in the world, now please vacate the premises while we engage in unspeakable acts." He said turning towards Riley. "Over." He said leaning in to kiss Riley.**_

"_**And over." Riley said after they pulled away and then leaned in to kiss Eric again.**_

"_**And over."**_

"_**And over."**_

"_**And I'm gone." Peter said, getting the not so subtle hint. He stalked off to try to find Mia and see what she had to say about this and to see if he would gain or lose a friend by divulging this information.**_

"Wow." Jason said after Peter paused in his story to let them take it in. "So that's how you went about it huh? I guess that's cool, and at least he wasn't uptight about you not liking him back." Jason said. He looked in Troy's direction at this and, before Troy could say anything, went back to talking to Peter. "So what happened with Mia?"

"That's going to have to wait." All three boys looked up to see Principal Matsui standing before them. "I thought you boys were cleaning?"

"We were sir, I mean we are, we just wanted to take a break. Strenuous work." Peter said standing quickly, the others following suit.

"Nice try Mr. Stone, but I fail to see the exertion of muscles within the task of wiping a rag across a flat surface."

"Well it's just tiring for us is all."

"Well if that's the case, why don't you just take the rest of the day to think about your actions. The janitor will come to clean the rest and you three can go home." Mr. Matsui said. Peter, thinking that he was in trouble, seeing as how being sent home usually wasn't good unless you were sick, which is twisted, he tried to protest but Troy stepped in front of him.

"That's fine sir, if that's how you really feel, then we'll go." Peter pulled him away from the principal while Jason continued to talk to Matsui.

"What are you doing?"

"He's letting us go home."

"Isn't that kinda, I don't know, BAD?" Peter whisper screamed.

"Not at all, he does this all the time for students. He let's them go home early from time to time depending on if he knows them or not. Seeing as how I'm the star player on his basketball team, plus my father being the coach, I'm never here all day, people just think I have practice to attend to and Mrs. Darbus, you'll meet her another time, is in the morning for me, so I don't have and other scary teachers to worry about explaining to. As long as I keep my grades up they mark me as present. The principal explains the situation, so I'm sure he'll do the same for you." Troy said. By the end of his presentation, Jason had made his way over.

"Plus your hanging out with not just the star, but two players from the basketball team, so of course he's cool with you." Jason stated.

"You know he was right, you guys are gonna be my best friends." Peter joked. The three laughed as then went their separate ways to grab stuff from their lockers. "I'll meet you guys at the front." Jason went off to his own locker and just as he had grabbed everything he needed, he closed it to find Troy behind the door smiling. Jason almost jumped out of his skin.

"Troy you scared the hell out of me. Don't do that." Jason said pushing him lightly. Troy barely moved at the smaller boys touch and just continued to smile at him. "What now?"

"I like you." Troy stated simply. Jason's breath hitched in his throat as Troy leaned down and kissed him. His lips were smooth, perfect in every way, just as Jason had imagined so many times before. "So what does this make us?" Troy asked, capturing Jason's lips in another kiss.

"I wanna say boyfriend and boyfriend." Jason said pulling away, only to lean in for another kiss.

"So you wanna be my secret boyfriend(1)." Troy said, once they pulled apart. He leaned in to kiss Jason again, only to feel air. He opens on eye and comes face to face with a very 'cross' Jason Cross. "What's the problem?" Troy asked.

"Secret boyfriends?"

"Well I know it sounds a little corny but-"

"That's not the point. I just pretty much came out to half the school. I don't plan on hiding any relationship I get into. If we do this, we have to do this for real or not at all." Jason said glaring at Troy. Troy didn't reply, but hung his head in deep thought.

"I don't think I can do that."

"Then we can't do this." Jason said pointing between Troy and him. Jason was about to walk off. But Troy stopped him.

"I really like you Jason." Troy said. He held up a hand to stop Jason from speaking before continuing. "I just wanted you to know that. I may want a relationship out in the open, but I can't give you that right now. I won't ask you to wait for me or anything like that, cause I want you to be happy. Ok?" Jason glared at Troy and then leant up and kissed his cheek, smiling when he pulled back.

"Thank you." He said simply as they walked off to the door. They met up with Peter who was glaring holes through them.

"If you want to mack on each other, do it in a movie theater like normal couples." Before they could say anything to his comment he pointed at something in the corner behind them. They turned to see a round mirror in the corner that had a view of Jason's locker. "Now can we go?" Peter asked impatiently. They just laughed at his antics and walked out the door with him. When they got to the car lot they were trying to figure out who's car to take.

"Well mine is a pickup so…" Troy lead off as if to say 'That's not really an option unless you like cramped space up front or lack of safety belts in the back'. Jason stayed quiet so Peter just rolled his eyes.

"Fine we'll take mine." Peter said pulling his keys out of his pocket. They walked off towards a silver Cadillac and Peter opened the doors.

"This is your car?" Troy asked.

"Yes, not all of us are from the poor side of the tracks." Peter said jokingly. Troy just glared at him as he got in the back since, while they were talking, Jason had already called shotgun.

* * *

Troy was stuck in the backseat listening to Jason and Peter make idle small talk as they headed towards Troy's house. His mother knew the situation with the principal and, though disapproved the man's favoritism, was happy to spend some time with her son alone every now and then. They finally arrived at Troy's house and went inside. His mom was on the phone, talking to his father. She looked up and was about to say something until she saw Peter walk in. He gave a small shy nod in her direction. She returned it before turning her attention to Troy. She mouthed the words 'It's your father'. Troy thought it over and nodded walking over to her.

"He just walked in honey, hold on." She hand Troy over the phone and, like any good host, went to introduce herself to the new boy. "Hello, My name's Janice Bolton, Troy's mother, nice to meet you." She said extending her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Bolton, the name's Peter Michael Stone," He bowed and kissed her hand. "At your service." Mrs. Bolton blushed and then, realizing Troy was off the phone, rounded and smacked him upside the head.

"Why can't you bring home more friends like these two?"

"One of these days, I'm calling Social Services."

"Good, cause when that day comes, they wont find the body or any record of me ever having a child." With that Mrs. Bolton walked away from the group. All three boys stood rooted to the spot staring at Mrs. Bolton as she left, fear in each of their eyes.

"Your mother never worked as a forensic scientist right?" Peter asked.

"No, but Abby is my Favorite Character on NCIS." Troy's mother called out. Scaring the boys even further, they followed Troy in running to his room, which he locked when they were all there. His mother walked past, cackling evilly.

"Seriously, devil incarnate or what?" Peter asked Troy.

"I don't know anymore." They all took a moment to calm down before settling around the room. Jason sat on the foot of the bed, Peter sat at the head, and Troy dragged his chair over and put his feet up on his bed in between the two. "So, what ever happened with Mia?" Troy asked after a few moments of silence.

"Right, well after I talked to Riley, I went straight to Mia…"

_**Peter knocked on his girlfriends door. She opened it and almost immediately closed it in his face. He stuck his foot in the door and gave her a look. "Who is it?" He heard Jane(2) call from upstairs.**_

"_**No one important, just a really sexy man." She called back. Jane came down and smiled at Peter.**_

"_**You were right, but what about your boyfriend?"**_

"_**What he doesn't know wont hurt him right?"**_

"_**Point taken." Peter, tired of all their joking, pulled Mia into a kiss, giving it his all seeing as how that would probably be their last one.**_

"_**I need to talk to you." Peter said once they pulled away. Sensing that their was a problem she looked at Jane and then walked out of the house with Peter. They sat down on the front porch and she leaned on his shoulder.**_

"_**So what's the problem?" She asked him.**_

"_**Well…this is gonna be hard to say." He looked down at his shoes and only looked up when she lifted his chin.**_

"_**You can tell me anything, I mean I am your girlfriend…right?" She asked realizing why this may be so hard for him.**_

"…_**.Mia I really like you but-"**_

"_**So I was right, your breaking up with me…" She glared at him. He just looked away before nodding. "Well if you wanna do it do it right, don't sucker punch me, be a man and say it." She said pushing his shoulder a little. He stood away from her.**_

"_**What's your problem." She stood and pushed him again.**_

"_**I'm making it easier, go ahead say it, gimme the blunt truth. SAY IT!"**_

"_**I'M GAY!" Both parties paused in their movements. Mia was the first to look up.**_

"…_**Your…are you serious?" Peter, not knowing how to respond, looked down. "So…..so what you have one kiss with a guy and suddenly you're a homo?" Mia asked him.**_

"_**No…it's just…I don't know. Since I had that kiss with Riley….when I kiss you….I don't feel anything." Peter looked up to see Mia on the verge of tears. "I don't mean it like a bad thing. It's not because it's you. It's-"**_

"_**It's because I'm a girl?"**_

"…_**Yeah. I'm sorry that it's like that, but it's the truth. The blunt truth." He said mockingly. Mia glared at him and then smiled.**_

"_**Well I guess I can forgive you….seeing as how I was about to do the same thing, would you look at the time, I'm gonna go-"**_

"_**Whoa what? Did you just say you were planning to break up with me?" Peter asked.**_

"_**Well…..I got a job," Peter just looked at her like she was crazy. "As a model," Peter gave her a look that said 'Get to the point'. "And it's in Paris." Realizing the complications of a long distance relationship, Peter sighed and went up and hugged her.**_

"_**Congratulations. I can't wait to see your first pictures on the cover of 'Vogue' or something like that."**_

"_**Please, they couldn't afford me." Mia joked waving a imaginary fan in her face. She looked at Peter and they both started to laugh.**_

"_**So I take it you're ok with my secret and will keep it just that, a secret."**_

"_**Of course Hon, only if you promise that we go shopping when I come back, Riley too, and we'll have a girls night out." They laughed and hugged again. Peter waved to her as she went back inside to finish packing.**_

"Aw, how cute." Troy taunted. Peter grabbed the pillow behind him and threw it, Troy caught it with ease and set it on his lap, setting his elbows on it and putting his head in his hands.

"You, sir, are and asshole." Peter stated simply and looked back at Jason who was staring at the both of them. Jason looked into the air and shook his head.

"Children." He said and continued to shake his head, hanging it in mock shame. They looked at each other and then took the pillows and threw them at Jason. Jason caught both with ease and flipped one behind his back and put the other under his legs. He smiled at the other two who were currently staring at him like he just pulled a rabbit out of thin air. "I think a fly just landed in both your mouths, set up a house and a shop, became a millionaire and then died in his mouth, and had the ashes scattered in his." Jason said pointing from Peter to Troy. Neither boy had moved still so Jason just gave up with the jokes and decided a change, or rather start or topic was called for. "Those were nice stories and all, but that still doesn't answer my question of why you moved here?" Jason asked. Peter instantly snapped out of his stupor and thought about the final story he had to tell.

"Well I guess this is a three part story, so I should probably tell you the final part." Peter said beginning with his story. "So I told my straight friend who is now my gay friend, I told my girlfriend who is now a Best Friend, but then I decided to tell my mom and dad. My mom was alright with it, my dad on the other hand….let's just say he was less then pleased…"

_**Peter walked into his dad's office. "What is it Peter?" His father said, not looking up from his work. Peter had already told his mother the news, and she was accepting of it, but his father may be a different story.**_

"_**Um….there's…..something I have…..to tell you." Peter finally managed to get out. His father looked at him funny, but went back to his work a moment later, as if the look never existed. Peter brought the chair from in front of his fathers desk next to his father's and grabbed both his fathers hands in his, forcing him to stop working and look at him.**_

"_**Peter I have an enormous amount of work to do-"**_

"_**It can wait."**_

"_**No it can't, this is too important to-"**_

"_**More important than your own son?" His father looked like he was going to say something that he really wouldn't regret but bit his tongue.**_

"_**What is it that you have to tell me, I'm all ears." His father said, pulling his hands away, but turning in his chair to look at Peter. Peter sighed and rubbed his hands on his pants, breathing out heavily to gain some composure. "Come on son, you make it seem like your about to tell me your pregnant." His father joked. They both laughed a little and, seeing as how the air was lighter, it gave Peter the courage he needed.**_

"_**I'm gay." His father's smile faded, his eyes darkened, and his face was red with anger.**_

"_**That's it? That's what you wasted my time to hear. Look Peter, what you do with your social life is of no importance to me, now please leave before I call security, I have work to do."**_

"_**You wouldn't call security on your own son." His father looked at him confused.**_

"_**My dear boy whatever do you mean?" The next words out of his father's mouth shattered his heart. "**_**I have no son**_**." Peter nearly collapsed in his seat. He looked at his father, who had gone back to doing his work. He then glared, feeling a new sense of pride and anger.**_

"_**May I say something sir?" Peter asked.**_

"_**Why certainly, but make it quick."**_

"_**I just wanted to say that I'll be leaving town in a bit, change of schools and whatnot. I don't think I can live in the place my father has rented for me and there are no other places close to school. Also, I'd like you to do something for me." His father turned towards him, face blank and expressionless. "If you ever see my father…tell him I still love him, and that I don't resent him for his feelings. Tell him if he ever does want to accept me, I already accept him." He turned and walked out. For a second, while he was turning away, he thought he saw a mixture of emotion go across his father's face. Sadness, jealousy, anger, contentment, and even as he was walking out the door, he looked back and saw, clear as day, and for the first time since he had known his father…..pride…**_

"I don't really know what my father feels now, I sent him an email about when I'd be leaving and said if he wanted to show up to the airport he could. I didn't see him. I found this school while going through brochures and just decided to go for it. So here I am." Peter said holding his arms out wide. He smiled at the two who just sat staring at him, sympathy in their eyes. His smile faltered as he sobbed. For the first time in a long time Peter Stone cracked. Troy and Jason leaned towards him and put a hand on either shoulder. He cried into his hands as the other two boys rubbed his back and soothed him.

"Troy your father wants to talk to you." Troy's mother called. After Peter had stopped crying they decided that a change in mood was necessary. They went downstairs and played as many games as their brain cells could take before exploding. Not entirely an exaggeration, for when they got to a level on Halo, Peter started to take a sip of the drink Troy's mother brought him and had an instant brain freeze.

"MY BRAIN FEELS LIKE IT'S EXPLODING!" Peter exclaimed. Once he had calmed down Troy and Jason laughed their butts off. Troy got up and went into the kitchen where his parents were.

"Yeah dad?" Troy asked. His mother stood and walked out. Troy knew that the only time she did that was when he was either in serious trouble or when his father had something important to tell him. "What's up dad?" Troy asked.

"I see you and Jason made up." He said pulling a chair out and gesturing for Troy to sit. Troy walked over and sat down in the seat. His father pulled up another chair. "So are you guys...you know…" His father crossed his fingers.

"Oh, oh no, nothing like that. I mean yeah I want to be but…"

"But what?"

"He wants an open relationship, and as much as I like him, I'm not really ready to give that to him." Troy stated simply. His father nodded in understanding and then looked Troy straight in his eyes.

"Have you done anything with anyone yet?"

"Done anything like what-…..ew, ew, EW! NO, of course not, I…I can't believe you would even want to have this talk." Troy said not to the idea of 'It', but to the fact that his father was the one he was having this talk with. He figured his mother would want to do it.

"I'm just making sure, but just in case you do decide to ….go for extra credit," At this Troy hung his head realizing he would never live that moment down. "Here, take a few of these." His father handed a bag to Troy and then walked away. Troy reached into the bag and pulled out the little square plastic wrappers. He blanched and put them back and then pulled out three and stuffed him in his pocket. He knew he wasn't just going to do it right away, but he wanted to be somewhat prepared. He set the bag on the table and he went back into the front room.

"What was that about?" Peter asked, sniping aliens.

"You don't want to know." Troy said. The two turned to him and then looked at each other. They shrugged and went back to playing their game.

* * *

Troy, Jason and Peter all hung together for the next couple of days, in and out of school. They had found out that they had Mr. Maledecki together, Peter being transferred in when his transcripts came and showed his excellent math scores and Jason as well when he finally came out of his genius shell. The class was just sitting around talking when two new students walked in. The teacher greeted them and told them to take the only available desks open in the back of the room behind Jason and Peter. The first student sat down behind Jason. He had short auburn hair and the body of a Greek god. The second had his own features, though not at all near as sexy as the other boy. The one who sat behind Peter had a brown faux hawk. He had on a white button up vest, unbuttoned, and a black Metallica shirt on underneath it. He had black jeans with tears around the knees and black and white shoes. As soon as he sat down he sat back in his seat and put his feet up on the back of Peter's chair.

"Do you mind?" Peter asked turning and glaring at the boy.

"Actually I do, can you move? I need to see the board." The kid said leaving his feet up. Peter pushed them off his seat and the boy instantly stood. Peter stood up to and got in his face. Before either could do anything, Mr. Maledecki was on them.

"Is there a problem here?" He asked them. The two shook their heads. "Good, then you can sit down and be quiet. You know what, everyone open your books to chapter fourteen and do questions two to fifty six, this will be PART of your homework. The other will be chapter fifteen questions one through forty three." The class groaned at the added on homework. "You can thank your new classmates Mr. Stone and Mr. Veldkamp for your added work." As soon as he said this the class turned on full death glares towards the two boys. Looks may not be able to kill, but they were sure as hell gonna try and maim the boys. The bell rang to signify the end of class and everyone threw paper balls at the two boys before rushing out the door. The new students as well as Troy, Jason, and Ryan all exited the class last and Peter and the other boy started in on each other.

"You got a problem with me freak?" Peter asked him.

"Not at all fag, you got a problem with me? Or is it a crush?" Peter had to be held back by Troy and Jason. The boy walked off laughing.

"Don't let him get to you, he's just being a jackass." The other new student said to Peter. "The name's Drake, Drake Belldum(3), nice to meet you." He said extending a hand and winking at Peter. Peter, taking a chance, gave the same greeting he did to Troy's mother. "A guy can get used to this type of treatment." Drake teased. Troy and Jason cleared they're throats and, after Peter had let go of Drake's hand, introduced themselves. "So what do you guys do for fun around here?" Drake asked them. They looked at each other.

"It's been a while since we just ditched." Jason said looking at Troy.

"So what are we waiting for?" He asked them. They all nodded and went to leave. Just as they were sneaking out the door, Principal Matsui and Coach Bolton appeared in front of them.

"Going somewhere son?" Troy's dad asked.

"Your dad's the basketball coach?" Drake asked. Troy just smiled sheepishly at his father.

"I take it you were coming to tell us when you wanted to serve your detentions?" Matsui asked. Jason stepped forward and walked past.

"Next Tuesday after school is fine with me." He said as he walked out the door. Matsui and Troy's dad said nothing and just continued to stare at the other three. Drake took a step and both older men turned their gaze to him freezing him to the spot. He chanced few more steps till he was next to Matsui.

"How about tomorrow morning?" Drake asked somewhat hopefully. Matsui nodded and Drake continued on. Seeing as how they didn't stop him he just jerked his head toward the door, signaling the other two, and then left out. Peter told them the same time and walked on. Troy however knew his dad would be a different story.

"I'll need to talk to my dad about setting a time." He said grabbing his dad and pulling him away from the door. "Don't be mad." Troy said before his dad could get anything out.

"I'm not mad, I'm furious. I'd be at least somewhat ok with this but you don't even show up for basketball practice anymore-"

"Which I make up for by training with you when you get home. Not only can you focus on my technique more, but I get more hands on help to improve."

"What about your grades?"

"Straight A's with a little help from Jason and my friends. Not only that but the school doesn't penalize you for absences, excused or unexcused, so all's I need to do is make sure my work is in and I don't even need to come."

"You should be in school. Not hanging out with-"

"Good friends who have their minds right, aren't into anything bad, and who I wont get in trouble with if I hang out with?" Troy's dad had finally given up. He just sighed and walked Troy back over to Matsui.

"Troy, Jason, Peter and…"

"Drake." Troy told him realizing he was trying to figure out the other boy's name.

"Right, and Drake are with me for the rest of the day. They should nor be penalized for missing the rest of their classes and I'll give them all homework that their teachers have for them." Troy looked up at his father and smiled at him. He hugged him briefly and then ran out the door.

"You sure that they wont be causing any problems?"

"Trust me, if there's one thing that Troy does, it's solve problems, weather their his own or not. They'll be fine, and the school wont gain any bad reps. They wont go anywhere where they could get into trouble for Truancy." The two walked off in separate directions. Troy explained what happened with his dad and told them not to worry about the detentions. They were now on the steps of the school again trying to figure out who's car to take. Troy again stated that his was a pickup, Jason said nothing, and Peter rolled his eyes about to give up when Drake stepped in.

"We can take my car." Drake suggested. They went on through the lot until they got to a red Maserati Granturismo in a teacher's parking space.

"This is your car?" Troy asked, then frowned to no one in particular feeling a sense of déjà vu.

"Yep, I may not be rich, but my dad's a weather man and my sisters an Evil Genius, so I got some cash." They all got in, Drake and Peter up front and Jason and Troy in back.

"May I ask why your parked in a teacher's space?" Peter asked once everyone was all in.

"Just felt like being an adult today, though that didn't last too long." Drake said pulling out of the school lot.

"So where to go?" Jason asked. They all looked back and forth at each other trying to brain storm without actually speaking. As if on queue, they all raised a hand in the air as if to say they had the perfect idea.

"ARCADE!" They all yelled. They came to a stop light and Drake and Peter turned around to look at the other two in the back seat. They all laughed their heads off until they made it to the arcade, giggling slightly still as they entered. They all decided to meet back at the entrance in about two hours to decide where to eat. Drake and Peter went off towards a Mortal Kombat booth. Jason went off to a set of Skee Ball booth's and Troy stood around the center trying to figure out what to try first. He heard singing from somewhere in the back and followed it to find a Karaoke stall. Some guy was up on the stage disgracing Bon Jovi's _'It's My Life'_. Troy was about to relieve the crowd of their bloodied eardrums when he saw Chad and Taylor arguing. Taylor smacked Chad and stormed off. Chad started to look around as if to find the answer to the pain he was feeling. As if his prayers had been answered, unfortunately for Troy, he looked up and saw Troy and immediately went red in the face and charged at him.

"Hey buddy, how are you?" Troy asked before he could say anything.

"How am I? Taylor just broke up with me. She said that the exact same problems that you and Gabby had we were having and that she didn't want to end up like her. So she broke up with me before I could do it to her. I wasn't even going to do that. Thanks a lot." Chad said, glaring at Troy.

"Wait, what happened to Gabs?" Troy asked. Chad looked at him with disbelief.

"You really don't know? She took your break up kinda hard. She has a totally new look and everything."

"How new?" Troy asked. Before Chad could tell him. Troy heard his name being called. He looked up to the stage to see a girl that looked like Gabby, but was far from it. The Gabriella Montez that everyone knew was long gone. Her hair was up, for once, in a twist with two chopsticks crossed behind it. She had on all black. Black halter top, black jeans, black boots, black gloves even and had a black heart chain with the heart cracked.

"I'm dedicating this song to you." Gabriella said. Taylor walked up next to her in a black spaghetti-strap shirt, black jeans and black heels. Her nails were painted black and she had on black eye shadow.

"I'm dedicating this to you as well Chad." With that both girls got into position and turned away from the crowd. The song started to play and both girls started to harmonize. They turned around at the same time and Gabriella started to sing first.

_Gabriella: _

_It took too long, It took too long,_

_It took too long for you to call back,_

_And normally I would just forget that,_

_Except for the fact it was my Birthday,_

_My stupid Birthday_

Gabriella was glaring holes through Troy. He knew she was upset about the breakup, but it's not like they didn't talk it out or anything.

_Taylor:_

_I played along, I played along,_

_I played along, rolled right off my back,_

_But obviously my armor was cracked_

_What kind of a boyfriend would forget that?_

_Who would forget that?_

Taylor glared at Chad. He had been planning to finish high school with her and ask her to marry him even after all was said and done. She was the love of his life, as sappy as that was, and he needed her to know it.

_Both:_

_The type of guy who doesn't see_

_What he has until she leaves_

_Gabriella:_

_DON'T LET ME GO!_

Troy and Chad took a step back as Gabriella looked like she was going to pounce off the stage at them. By this time in the song, Peter, Jason, and Drake had found their way to the two boys and, at this time in the song, had backed away not wanting to be part of the carnage that was taking place.

_Both:_

_Cause without me you know you're lost_

_Wise up now or pay the cost_

_Taylor:_

_Soon you will KNOOOOOWW!_

_Both:_

_You're not livin, till your livin,_

_Livin with me_

_You're not winnin, till your winnin,_

_Winnin me_

_Your not getting, till your getting,_

_Getting me_

_Your not livin, till your livin,_

_Livin for me_

_This is the potential breakup song_

_Our album needs just one_

_Oh baby please, please tell me_

_Taylor:_

_We got along, we got along,_

_We got along until you did that_

_Now all I want is just my stuff back_

_Gabriella:_

_Do you get that?_

_Let me repeat that_

_Both:_

_I WANT MY STUFF BACK!_

Chad and Troy started to search through their pockets, wanting to please the vicious girls. Troy, obviously, came up with nothing. Chad pulled out a small box. He palmed it, but Taylor had saw it, though didn't falter in the song.

_You can send it in a box,_

_I don't care just drop it off_

_Gabriella:_

_I wont be HOOOMMEE!_

_Both:_

_Cause without me you know you're lost_

_Minus you I'm better off_

_Taylor:_

_Soon you will KNOOOOOWW!_

_Both:_

_You're not livin, till your livin,_

_Livin with me_

_You're not winnin, till your winnin,_

_W-w-w-winnin me_

_Your not getting, till your getting,_

_Getting me_

_Your not livin, till your livin,_

_Livin for me_

_You can try, you can try_

_You know I know it'd be a lie_

_Without me you're gonna die_

At this, all guys in the crowd winced at the death glares the girls were giving, some visibly.

_Gabriella:_

_So you better think clearly, clearly_

For some weird reason, it clicked to Troy at this part. He never talked to Gabriella. He broke up with her yeah, but he never even explained why, he never got the chance to and he hasn't even tried to.

_Taylor:_

_Before you nearly, nearly_

_Both:_

_Bust up a situation that you're gonna miss dearly, dearly, C'MON!_

_You're not livin, till your livin,_

_Livin with me_

_You're not winnin, till your winnin,_

_W-w-w-winnin me_

_Your not getting, till your getting,_

_Getting me_

_Your not livin, till your livin,_

_Livin for me_

_Gabriella:_

_This is the potential breakup song_

_Our album needs just one_

_Oh baby please, please tell me_

_Taylor:_

_This is the potential Makeup song_

_I'll just admit I'm wrong*_

_Which will it be?_

The only ones to catch Taylor little 'slip up' were Gabriella, Troy and Chad. Gabriella waited to sing but glanced over to her and Troy started to go into deep thought, looking down at his feet. Chad smiled up at her when she said the line but didn't interrupt the rest of the song.

_Both:_

_Which will it be?_

The girls harmony's faded as they posed back to back and glaring into the crowd, which was silent. All eyes were on the two girls and the two guys they had dedicated the song to. Chad walked up to the stage and stared into Taylor's eyes. She stared back and, not being able to take it, jumped off the stage and into his arms. The crowd started to cheer the couple as they kissed. The cheers lessened as Gabriella jumped off the stage and ran off with tears in her eyes, Troy refusing to follow her. Everyone was looking at him as if he was crazy but he just turned and walked off in another direction than the one Gabriella took. Peter, Jason and Drake followed him and only talked when they weren't really around anyone.

"That was….something." Peter said.

"Yeah, kinda harsh too." Drake said. Troy rounded on him and glared.

"What do you know? So what I'm supposed to feel sorry for her just cause she wants to shed a few tears about me not liking her back?" Troy said through almost gritted teeth.

"Actually I was talking about her. I mean really, you broke up, big deal. You don't go dedicating songs to people and giving them death glares while your singing. Take a chill pill." He replied, adding the last part for her as well as Troy for biting his head off.

"Sorry…I guess I'm just a little….sensitive." Troy finished lamely looking away.

"Oh please, I been knew that." Drake said simply walking off. "So what do we do now?" He asked the other three turning around to look at them.

"Well I think it's time for another story." Troy said. Drake looked at him funny but Peter and Jason got the gist of it. Peter walked over to Drake and started to walk towards the door explaining his situation to him, giving a shorter version of course.

* * *

"Well that bites. I don't wanna be rude, but your dad's a bitch." Drake said. Peter just shrugged his shoulder. By the time he was done, they were already on the road and going towards Pizza Hut.

"I wouldn't really know, since I don't have a father anymore." He stared out the window and all three boys put a hand on either shoulder, moral support and such. He just looked at them and nodded, showing that he was alright.

"So what did you mean by another story?" Drake asked Troy, looking at him through the rearview mirror.

"Well I just meant, we know why Peter moved here, but what about you?" Drake looked at the road and didn't answer them. They continued on to Pizza Hut in silence. Once they got there and ordered, they got a table away from anyone and Drake just started talking.

"My mom and my step dad had gotten married and I thought it was the end of the world. I came to find out that him and his son were pretty cool. I still wanted to see my old dad though, to hear his side of the story of why they broke up. My mom said they just had too many differences, but I was thinking that maybe there was more to it then that. Though I never saw my dad, so I never got the chance…until he showed up one day…"

_**Drake sat on his couch watching T.V. He had just had another fight with his mother about his dad. His REAL dad. He was cool with Walter, but he just wanted to see his real dad for some reason. He heard he was in town but his mother wouldn't tell him where. So here he was, pissed at her for withholding the information, skulking and watching T.V. "That was never a good look on you." Drake rounded on the person behind him, ready to defend himself if need be and then smiled seeing who it was. The man had the same Auburn hair as Drake, though a little longer in the back, and definitely not as well kept, because Drake prided himself in his looks and especially his hair. He also had the most sparkling blue eyes that anyone had seen, even Drake, and he'd seen a lot.**_

"_**Dad?" Drake asked. His father nodded and Drake literally jumped over the couch to get to him. "I've missed you." Drake said snuggling into his dad's chest.**_

"_**Thanks buddy, but you're a man, and men don't really go for the close quarter hug." Drake pulled away a little embarrassed and then toughened up, so to speak, and puffed out his chest.**_

"_**Right, of course, no doubt." Drake said in a gruff voice, extending his hand and shaking his dad's, grip tight and manly. "One time thing, wont happen again." Drake said in the same gruff voice. He then went back to his original voice, as well as his giddy smile. "What are you doing here? How'd you even get in?" Drake asked him.**_

"_**I did live here at one point. Your mother never moved the backdoor's hidden key. As to why I'm here, what I can't come see my kids?" His dad joked.**_

"_**Sorry, no it's cool. It's great to see you." Drake said. He wanted to hug him again, but his father was never one for the soft stuff, even when he was a kid. It was always 'No hugging this' and 'Don't wave like that.' Drake never really minded because he just figured that his dad was trying to make a man out of him.**_

"_**So where's Megan?"**_

"_**You mean the devil child?"**_

"_**Is she still pranking you?"**_

"_**Now it's worse." Drake's dad was the only one to ever believe that Megan was somewhat cruel to Drake.**_

"_**Well prank her back, I taught you well. If she can prank you, then you should have the balls to do it to her." His dad stated simply while walking around the house. Just then Audrey came in and almost immediately went for the phone. Drake's father got there first and blocked her off. "Now Audrey-"**_

"_**Get the fuck out Nick, or I'll have to call the police."**_

"_**You wouldn't call the cops on me."**_

"_**No but I'll GLADLY call them on myself." She said, an evil glint in her eyes.**_

"_**Why are the women in our family so evil?" Drake's father asked him.**_

"_**Don't talk to him, just get out."**_

"_**No." Both Drake's parents turned towards him.**_

"_**Drake, how can you say that, do you even know what he's capable of?"**_

"_**No, cause you never had the guts to tell me." Drake's mom took a step back as if she was just slapped across the face. By the look on Drake's face and the acidity of the comment, it was almost like she was.**_

"_**Drake…..he is a bad man, you don't want to know him."**_

"_**Well that may be, but I'd like the chance to find that out for myself. Me and dad are going for a walk," He held up a hand to stop her from interrupting. "And I'll be back, but I just want a chance to talk to him. He may be bad, but he's still my father." Both his parents looked at each other. Nick looked into her eyes, almost pleading to let him spend some time with his son. She just sighed and nodded.**_

"_**But I want him back here in no more then an hour." She stated. Before either male could protest, Audrey walked off upstairs.**_

"_**I'll be right back, I'm gonna grab some stuff." Drake said, rushing up the steps a moment later. He walked into his room to check his email, but Megan somehow was already on it. Josh and Mindy were on the bed making out. Drake jumped onto Josh's side, causing immense pain and knocking the wind out of him. Just like he liked it. "Heya Minds." Drake said smiling at her like he wasn't destroying her boyfriends kidneys.**_

"_**Hello Drake."**_

"_**Drake…..get off." Josh said gaining some of his breath back.**_

"_**But I don't wanna." Drake stated simply, twisting so that he was completely over him and in a comfortable position.**_

"_**Drake, would you kindly remove your body from my boyfriend. I know your close brothers, but I'd like to think that type of closeness is reserved for me." Drake thought it over and then finally nodded.**_

"_**I had it first, but I relinquish the space to you." He smiled and walked away from the bed. Mindy taking Josh's lips in a passionate kiss before he could utter his discomfort and disgust at Drake's words.**_

"_**Hey, I need to check my email, I'm going out."**_

"_**I don't think so." Megan stated simply. Drake glared at her and then decided that since his father was here, and he was already in such a good mood, he wasn't going to let her waste it.**_

"_**I'm taking a walk with dad."**_

"_**Have fun- wait, Walter is at work, and even if he wasn't….I thought you didn't really like him?"**_

"_**He's alright, and not that dad." He whispered so Josh or Mindy wouldn't ask questions. Megan's eyes went wide and she rushed past him and out the door. He got on the comp. and went to his email. The email from the summer school Audrey wanted him to go to hadn't come, so he just logged off. He grabbed his phone and car keys, just in case, and then left out, kicking Josh's bed as he went.**_

"_**BACK OFF BROTHA!" Josh yelled as he closed the door. When he got downstairs he saw Megan and his dad hugging. She looked at Drake and then back at her dad. He nodded at her and then she sighed walking over to Drake.**_

"_**What?" He asked her. She didn't say anything. She just hugged him and then went upstairs, muttering what sounded like 'Decontaminate my body'. "What was that about?" He asked his dad.**_

"_**Nothing, just told her to be nicer to you." Drake nodded and then gestured towards the door. They walked along the block towards the park. They were silent at first, not really knowing where to start, a truck skidded past them and startled them, though they still stayed quiet. Drake decided to break the silence before it started back.**_

"_**Why'd you leave?" His father stopped, Drake stopping as well, and stared at his son.**_

"_**I…Your mother and I loved each other. We really did….but we fell out of it."**_

"_**How is that even possible?"**_

"_**It's what happened. I still love her, but we just have too many differences."**_

"_**Like what?" Drake asked. He crossed his arms over his chest, pouting, and leaned to the side.**_

"_**Like how we would have raised you. For instance, I would have smacked you up side the head for ever thinking of standing like that." Drake looked taken aback, but undid his arms and stood straight. "Not to mention, the whole thing with your hair."**_

"_**I take pride in my hair."**_

"_**Only fags and females take pride in their hair care." Drake glared at his father and then turned to walk off. His father followed but didn't stop him. Drake was about to round on his father when he heard someone yell. They looked across the street and saw about five guys run down an alleyway. Once they disappeared from sight they heard someone yell out in pain. Drake rushed across the street, his father following close behind. When they got into the back alley, they saw the five guys they saw were crowded around on lone boy curled on the ground. They were kicking him and calling him names.**_

"_**FUCKING COCK-SUCKER!" One yelled kicking the boy in the face. The man turned to walk away and saw Drake and his father watching them. "You got a problem mate?" The man said, walking towards them. Drake was about to get in the man's face when his father stepped.**_

"_**No, I'm just taking a walk with my son, showing him the things that happen in the world. Like something as normal as a fag getting what he deserves." Drake looked at his father with surprise. Seeing as how his father wouldn't look at him, he just looked down at the ground.**_

"_**Well I guess we better make sure to give a good performance." The man said. He turned and kicked the boy in the gut. "Either of you want a go at him?" The man asked turning back to them.**_

"_**Drake?" Drake glared at his father for even thinking of asking him.**_

"_**No **_**Nick**_**." He said, emphasis on his father's name. He just shrugged and shook his head at the man.**_

"_**Were fine, continue with your work." The man just shrugged as well and began violently kicking the boy in the stomach. Drake, unable to watch for any longer, ran off out of the alleyway. His dad appeared a few seconds later and Drake reeled back and punched him square in his nose. His dad glared at Drake through blood red eyes and held his now broken nose. "What the hell was that for?" His father asked. Drake just shook his head and ran off towards his house. He made a thought to call the police about the beating while he ran…**_

Troy, Peter, Jason, and the waiter, Michael, all sat quietly just staring at Drake. "You ok?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, thanks, I'll be alright." Drake said. They all started to eat their pizza in silence when a thought occurred to Jason.

"When the hell did our pizza get here?" They all looked down at the pizza to see it was no longer steaming and, even though hot, not nearly as hot as if it had just came out. Out of nowhere they hear someone answer in a British accent.

"About ten minutes ago, probably around the time, Drake was it, was talking about him squishing his brother." They all turned towards Michael like he was crazy.

"Who are you? Troy asked.

"Oh, I'm Michael, your waiter, which reminds me, is there anything else I can do for you?" Drake raised his hand like he was in school. "Yes?"

"Can you….I don't know…leave?" He stated, a little less ruder then he originally wanted.

"Alright, don't have to be touchy, just trying to be a friend." With that he stood and started to walk off.

"Is that a real accent?" Everyone turned to Troy now, wondering why he would even ask that, even Michael.

"Um…yes. My grandfather is British. Though my grandma and parents are American, so I can switch it up." He said using a regular American accent when he talked about his grandma and parents. With that he nodded to the table and walked off. Troy smiled and went back to eating his pizza. He had a slice to his mouth but realized that all eyes were on him so he decided to talk before eating.

"What?"

"Get off the pizza boy's jock that's what." Drake said simply.

"I was so not."

"You so were." Jason said from beside him. He stared, mouth hanging open in disbelief before defending himself. The boys got into an animated argument about weather Troy had the hots for the pizza boy or not. By the time they were done, they had finished their pizza and were about to leave. Michael came up to Troy before he left and handed him a slip of paper before going back to his counter to help a customer.

"What's was that about?" Peter asked once they were outside. Jason stole the little paper from Troy's pocket and looked it over and then laughed, tauntingly, waving the paper over his head as if it were a captured flag.

"IT'S A PHONE NUMBER!" Peter and Drake joined in the laughter as Troy snatched the paper from Jason's hands.

"Shut up, like you've never seen a phone number before." He said glaring at them, though blushing profusely.

"We have, just not one for the pizza boy. So, you gonna call him? Maybe he can help roll your dough?" Drake said in a seductive voice.

"Naw, he'll just call to order some of his 'special' sauce on his pizza." Peter joked. Troy was now redder than any tomato ever grown. He walked off towards Drakes car. They three followed once calming down and, when they got in the lot, saw Troy holding a kid up against the wall. Drake looked over, but was minorly, then majorly distracted, seeing as how 'F-A-' and the beginnings of a G were keyed into the side of his car. Drake rushed over to make sure no more damage was done to his car and then rounded on the boy Troy was holding. Peter and Jason had to hold Drake back, seeing him pull out his keys.

"I'LL KILL HIM!" Drake screamed.

"Kiss me? I knew you were a fag but I didn't think you liked me that much." The kid said. Peter let go of Drake and, what sounded like a growl escaped his throat. Drake stopped trying to maul the kid long enough to see the look of evil in Peter's eyes.

"You." Peter said simply. Drake looked the kid over and didn't notice anything familiar about him, until he noticed the Faux Hawk. The kid laughed when he saw that they all realized who he was.

"You find something funny Freak?" Jason said walking up to him, venom dripping from his words. He pushed Troy away from the boy so there was nothing stopping him from getting to him.

"Not at all fag, you?" He said, just as acidic. Jason leaned in close so that they were eye to eye and then did something that no one expected. He leaned up and kissed the kid. The boy pushed him off and glared at him. He pulled back and tried to punch him, but Jason just ducked and pushed the kid up against the wall, grabbing a hand full of his junk and squeezing lightly. The kid moaned and grinded his hips into the touch unintentionally. He realized what was happening and pushed Jason off of him. "Stay the fuck away from me, I'm not like you." He said, though almost sounding like he was more trying to convince himself then the other boys. Jason just stood staring at him. The boy looked at the others and then ran off. They were about to follow, but Jason called them back.

"Why aren't we going after him?" Drake asked through gritted teeth.

"Because he's not going to bother us again." Jason said simply walking off to the car. The other boys watched him and then sighed, following. Drake started the car and they got onto the road. They had no idea where to go, so they decided to hang out at Troy's since his mother was so nice and their parents….weren't. Most of them were cool, but that's cause they didn't know they're sons cut class.

"Another one huh? Well nice to met you, Janice Bolton." She said holding out her hand.

"Drake Belldum, and might I say you look very lovely this afternoon, Mrs. Bolton." Drake replied, taking her hand and bowing. His mother, again, blushed and, again, rounded on Troy and smacked-A book? Troy pulled the books down from either side of his head and then sighed.

"Well we'll be in my room." Troy said. He ushered his friends upstairs before his mother could get her hit in. Once upstairs Troy closed his door and leaned against it. "She didn't get me." He said happily. However the moment was short lived when a bang came on his door that pushed his head off it. "OW MAN!" He yelled glaring at the door.

"That's MOM to you." His mother said from the other side of it. Drake just stared at the other two to see if this was a normal thing. Obviously it was cause they were shaking their heads at Troy like he should have known.

"The women is nice, but she's not to be taken lightly." Jason said to Troy. Troy just nodded and went and sat in the chair next to his bed. Drake was laying on his stomach and Peter, being the lightest, sat on his back cross-legged. Jason was on the floor leaning against the bed.

"So was that all to your story Drake?" Jason asked looking up but not actually at Drake, not wanting to stand up.

"Well there's a little more to it. So I had gotten home after that extremely traumatic experience and decided that I would never speak to that man again. Apparently he didn't get my memo…"

_**Drake sat on his couch, same as he had that afternoon before his dad showed up. He was watching the same program as he had before. He heard someone come in but figured it was Walter. He thought about this and then realized that Walter and Audrey had gone out to dinner. He also knew that Megan was spending the night at her friends house and Josh was over to Mindy's for dinner. He shot up off of the couch towards the T.V., just missing a fist to the back of his skull. "Get out." He hissed at Nick. **_

"_**Now Drake, don't be like that." His father said walking around the couch. Drake picked up the remote from the top of the T.V. and brandished it like it was a knife. His father grabbed it and flung it across the room. He stepped close to Drake, pressing the young boy up against the T.V. set. "I knew I shouldn't have been so nice." His father said. "I probably turned you into a freak by being so caring with you." Drake glared at his father.**_

"_**What are you talking about?"**_

"_**Oh that's right, you probably don't remember. Well I'll give you a hint. '**_**Don't make Papa ask twice.**_**'" At the comment Drake's face went white as he remembered being that scared little boy when he was only 7 years old and his father would console him. He remember at 10 his father coming into his room after everyone was asleep and slipping into bed with him. He remembered his father taking off all their clothes at 13, saying that the body heat would keep them warm, but only if they were close. And he remembered when his father asked him to spread his legs at 15, his mother burst in and beat the shit out of his dad and made him leave.**_

"_**So that was the difference. You fell out of love with her body and in with mine?" Drake asked somewhat scared. His father nodded, an evil glint in his eyes as he cupped Drake's manhood with one hand.**_

"_**You've grown since the last time I saw you Drake. Maybe you can spread them for me now and show me just how much?" His father leaned in and started to kiss on Drake's neck. Drake looked around for anything to use as a weapon. He grabbed a DVD case and hit his father on the head with it. His father just looked at him skeptical. "You've got to do better then that." His father leaned in and Drake, knowing that he wanted to make daddy 'proud' of his manliness, Kneed him in the balls and jumped over the couch. His dad, once regaining feeling in his nether regions, jumped over the couch and after Drake. **_

"_**Stay away from me." Drake said. He stepped back and felt something on the table, he grabbed it and ducked under his father and placed a hand over his mouth before taking it away and standing against a wall, hiding another object in his pocket. Drake's parents, Josh and Megan all came in then and saw Drake pinned against a wall. He saw them and glared at them to keep them back. "You always were a softie, it's what I liked about you, well, other then your body." His father said.**_

"_**Yeah, well that's cause I've had an awesome set of parents who love me and don't include you," His father grabbed his heart in mock hurt. "A spastic brother who I'd never get rid of even if you paid me, and an evil genius for a sister, who I need to thank for making her special knockout gas." Drake's father looked at him funny before going dreamy eyed. Drake pushed his father and he tipped over, falling on the floor, out cold. Drake pulled off the invisible mouth cover he had picked up when he jumped over the couch. He also pulled the little gas capsule out of his pocket and turned it off. Megan walked over to their father's body and kicked him in the gut.**_

"_**No one tortures my brother but me." She stated simply before grabbing the pellet and the mask and glaring at Drake. "Don't take my things without asking…..and your welcome." She said smiling. She hugged him while Walter went to call the police. Drake went and started to drag Nick, but Audrey stopped him.**_

"_**Are you crazy, just leave him, the police will be here soon." She said. Drake looked up at her with tear soaked eyes.**_

"_**I don't want this thing in our house." He stated simply before continuing to drag his father's body. His family all watched him get to the door and just as he was about to pitch his body out, his father spun around Drake and pulled him close. Before anyone could come to help him, Nick pulled out a gun and cocked it, pointing it to Drake's head as he turned him towards the family.**_

"_**Now either you sit there and watch as I take young Drake here, or I blow his brains out, which will it be?" He asked sticking his free hand down Drake's pants. Drake tried to pull away until his father stuck the gun into his hair even more. "Dear god why'd you let him grow his hair like this? It makes him more appealing sure, but he's turning into a fag." He said, still, ironically, molesting Drake.**_

"_**So what does that make you?" Drake spat.**_

"_**Someone who appreciates true beauty." His father started to grope Drake more and Drake started to cry. Having had enough, he elbowed his father in the gut and wrestled the gun from him. He pointed it at his forehead, both hands on the gun, just as his father started to charge him.**_

"_**Now here's how this is going to go, your gonna leave me and my family alone and never show your face around here again." His father raised his hands up in surrender and took a couple of steps toward the door. He looked Drake up and down and then chuckled to himself.**_

"_**Maybe I was wrong, maybe you really are a man after all."**_

"_**No, you had it right the first time. I'm a fag, queer, homo, or whatever you want to call me. And I'm DAMN proud of it. NOW LEAVE!" Drake shouted at his father. Drake fired a shot off past his fathers ear, making him duck. His father, hearing sirens, rushed out of the house. The police came a moment later, Drake still pointing the gun at the door. They finally got the gun from him and he fell into the chest of one of the officers, crying his eyes out. The officer, feeling mildly uncomfortable, transferred Drake to his mother and went to the rest of the family to help his partner take statements…**_

"After that, the police said that they never found him. They said to protect us we needed to get as far away from the area as possible. My mom remembered this school because of some summer musical program she was gonna send me to and decided to just move and enroll me and my brother in here." Drake said. Jason stood up and looked over the bed at Drake who was crying. Peter laid down on top of him and wrapped his arms underneath Drake's torso.

"It's ok, he can't get you here." Peter said nuzzling the back of his neck.

"And even if he does come, we wont let him get anywhere near you." Troy said. The other two boys nodded in agreement. Drake smiled up at Troy as a thank you before wiping his tears. He, just now, noticed that Peter was holding him. He wiggled and made Peter fall off the bed and onto his ass.

"Get off me monkey." He said to Peter. Peter jumped up and grabbed a pillow.

"I am not a 'Louis Vuitton Monkey' bitch." Drake instantly jumped up as well and grabbed another.

"I got thing to say Blake Mcgraff, you gon have one job next year," The two got into a battle stance. Jason just leaned against the bed and got low so as not to be involved in the carnage and Troy simply left the room as he heard pillows connecting with skin.

"IT'S CALLED ROAD RULES BITCH!" He heard Drake yell as he went downstairs. His father was probably home and he wanted to talk to him. He heard talking and crept downstairs to hear his parents talking in a hushed manner in the dining room.

"…He didn't want you to know, but I had to tell you." He heard his dad say.

"I wont believe it, that's just horrible." His mom replied.

"Now you see why he didn't tell you?"

"Yes, he knew that he was in the wrong and he's trying to find a way to fix it."

"It's not something you can fix honey, it's just how he feels…Troy that you?" Troy tried to stay silent but looked down and saw his foot sticking out. He walked from behind the wall, tears in his eyes.

"Is that how you really feel mom?" Troy asked.

"How long were you there, and yes it is. I'm sorry but that's not something that I can agree with." Troy started to cry more and his mom rushed over to him. "Troy honey what's the matter?" His mom asked. He shook her off and glared at her.

"How can you ask that?" He hissed between sobs. His dad, realizing what Troy thought they were talking about, rushed over to them.

"Troy-"

"And you, I thought I could trust you."

"Troy-"

"Just leave me alone."

"I didn't tell her." Troy's sobs immediately stopped. He looked up at his father and then looked over to his mother.

"Tell me what?" She asked. Troy looked away and stood up. He took in a deep breath and looked back at her.

"I'm…..Gay." He said, losing some courage, but not enough to make him not say it. His mother looked shocked for a second and turned away, going into deep thought. Troy stood there, awaiting his mother's reply as if in court waiting for a verdict. When she turned back the look she gave made him think, 'Verdict: Guilty, Punishment: Death'. However, his mother smiled at him and stood and hugged him.

"I'd never be mad at you or hate you. What we were talking about had nothing to do with you. I'll love you no matter what, as long as the guy your with isn't more then seven years younger or older then you."

"They're getting married."

"That doesn't mean it's right." Troy looked back and forth between his parents. His dad, seeing this, spoke first.

"Your uncle is getting married to a very smart, talented and kind young women-"

"'Young' being the keyword. He's 46 and she's 21, she's literally more then HALF his age." Troy just shook his head at his parents. He went back up to his room to find that there were pillow feathers all around the room. He just made out a giggling Jason literally covered in feathers, almost invisible in a way. Peter was sitting on the bed, somehow not a single feather on him, while Drake was no where to be found. Troy saw an evil glint in Peter's eye and ducked just as Drake swung.

"Danged, missed." He said glaring at Troy through down covered eyes. Troy had to stifle his laughter by biting his fist. "It's not funny." Drake said taking another swing. Troy dodged again and turned towards where Jason was. He bent down and picked up a feather and then scattered them when he didn't see a head where it should've been. Jason had disappeared. He looked around the room, trying to figure out where he was. Just when he was about to give up, what looked like a giant chicken crawled out from under his bed, revealing itself to be Jason.

"How did this happen, I thought you weren't in it?" Troy asked him. Jason just shrugged, shook himself free of feathers and then walked out. Peter got off the bed and walked out. Troy was about to comment on the back of his shirt but Drake shushed him. They walked down stairs and just as Peter was opening the door, Troy's mother stopped him.

"Peter dear, what happened to….your…" She trailed off seeing the looks that Troy, Jason and Drake were giving her.

"What do you mean?" He asked looking himself over. Seeing nothing wrong he looked back up at her as if she was crazy. Drake walked over and patted his back.

"Not a thing Pete." Drake said. As he patted his back, a lone feather came off his back and shot up in the air and floated down in front of Peter's face. Peter pulled his shirt towards the front to see his back littered with feathers. He glared at the other boys.

"So you were going to let me walk out of the house like this?" He asked them. Mrs. Bolton walked over and patted his shoulder.

"Of course not dear. I was going to have you clean up while the other three boys clean up Troy's room. Cause I hope they didn't think I'd let them leave my house in less then the condition it was when they arrived." They all nodded and headed back up to Troy's room. "Then again, they could just go have fun and clean up tomorrow, it is a school day, but it's Friday." She said walking off. Troy looked at each of the boys as if his question didn't need voicing. All three nodded and so they went to take turns in washing up and calling their parents to let them know they'd be spending the night while the others cleaned Troy's room. Once finished they sat in Troy's room trying to figure out what to do. Troy's father came in and waved for the boys to follow him and so they did. They went downstairs and then down to the basement. Troy's dad flicked the lights and instantly the boys started to rush over to the objects in the room. Peter rushed off to a popcorn machine in the left corner, along with a Slushy machine, a Nacho maker, a Hot dog cooker, a pizza cooker, and an assortment of candy and condiments. Jason was busy trying to figure out if he should play the Mortal Kombat or Killer Instinct arcade game first in the arcade section to the right of the steps. Drake walked over to the DVD case to the left and opened it up. It wasn't that impressive. Troy's dad walked over and handed him a remote and pointed to a button. Drake took the remote and pressed the button. The case pulled out and opened outward to show off at least five more cases totaling over one thousand DVD's.

"So much sugar." Peter mumbled beside them holding two bags of popcorn, a hot dog, a plate of nacho's, and two Butter Fingers. Troy walks over and steals a butter fingers and sits down on one of about twenty five seats lined up in front of a 72'' flat screen T.V. against the far wall. Jason sat in one to the right and swiveled it to one of three smaller flat screens on the right wall. He flicked one on and got a channel that none of the boys needed to be watching, or at least, one they didn't want to watch. However, they all had Tivo, so when Jason went back to an earlier show recorded that day, one that had to do with a Male stripper and an overworked business man, him and the other three boys looked at Troy's father.

"I was curious." His dad said turning and walking back upstairs. "Stay up as late as you want." He said closing the door to the basement. All three boys rounded on Troy.

"I thought you were dirt poor?" Peter joked, somehow only having a bag of popcorn and a few nachos left when he sat down.

"I just KNEW you were dirt poor." Drake said, slightly in shock from the abundance of 'New' in Troy's basement.

"Where'd he get all this?" Jason asked. Troy just shrugged and grabbed the remote from Jason. He pressed play on the T.V. Jason had been watching and immediately all four boys were hard. They weren't going to do anything with each other, however, what they did to themselves would stay with them, as well as what they did not even half an hour later, and again for Drake at around midnight when the others had pulled beds out of the wall where the 72'' was and were dead to the world.

* * *

Troy, Jason, Peter, and Drake were tired. They were spent from the night before and it was their own fault. However, they would happily do it all over again to see 'Richard Pierce' perform again, and again, and in Drake's case, again. They were all in Mr. Maledecki's class talking when they felt the urge to ditch. One by one they asked to go to the bathroom, nurse, anywhere just to get out. Once Troy got out with his excuse that his father asked to see him before the end of that period, they started to walk towards the exit. They rounded a corner and saw the boy from the other day slumped against a bench. Across from him was the word 'FAG' in big, bold, black letters on a locker. He was fiddling with the paint can in his hands so they knew it was him. Three of the boys started to rush forward, Jason however made them stay back.

"Why not just kick his ass and move on?" Drake asked, an evil glint in his eye. Jason pointed to the boy. They looked and noticed something they hadn't when they were father away. He was crying, or had just finished a very long cry, for there were dried tear streaks on his cheeks. Jason gave them a signal to wait and he walked over to the boy. He crouched down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. The boy made no move to pull away. He hadn't even acknowledged him.

"You ok?" Jason asked. The boy said nothing. He just continued to fiddle with the can and staring at the locker. "Whose locker is this?" At this, the boy went into a hysterical laughing fit, making Jason jump slightly. Jason placed his hand back on the boys shoulder and the boy stopped laughing instantly. He shook violently and looked up at Jason, tears forming in his eyes.

"It's mine." He stated simply before placing his head on Jason's shoulder, after he had sat next to the boy, and cried into it. Jason brushed his head gently. Troy and the others came over to see what was going on. They all sat in a circle around them, Drake and Peter on the floor in front of them, more to keep the boy from running then to comfort, and Troy sat on the left of the boy, rubbing his back. Jason mouthed that it was the boys locker to the others and they all donned confused looks.

"Why'd you do this to your own locker?" Drake decided to ask. The others looked at him like he was crazy but he just shrugged and awaited the boys response. The boy looked around at them, confused.

"Why are you all being nice to me? I taunted you," He said pointing to Jason. "I keyed your car," He pointed to Drake. "I almost keyed YOUR car," He said pointing to Peter. "So why are you all here now? Why can't you just kick my ass and leave me here to rot." He finished, hanging his head low. Drake waved his hands at the boy as if to say 'What did I tell you?'. The others ignored him and Jason lifted the boys head to make him look at him.

"Is that what you think should happen to you?" He asked him. The boy just nodded. "Well then that's why. Were here to torment you, and to do that we must defy everything you expect of us, like running away or kicking your ass." Jason said with a smile. The boy laughed which sounded more like a wheeze cough. They were all quiet for a bit before an idea popped into Troy's head.

"Story time?" He asked his friends. They all nodded in agreement. The boy looked around at them questionably before he was dragged to his feet by Troy and Jason and dragged to the door. Again, Matsui and Jack were standing at the door. They didn't even give them the time of day, except for Troy who handed a schedule showing the times for their detentions as well as future days they were skipping and when they'd serve the detentions for them before walking out. Matsui looked at Jack and glared at him.

"What…see, he has it down to a system," He said pointing to the schedule. "Problem solver." Jack said. Seeing as how he was looking at being fired for just breathing Matsui's air for another second, he hurried off towards the Gym room to start his class. Matsui sighed and looked out the door towards the five boys. He chuckled and then looked around to make sure no one was watching. He then did a spin on his toes and moon walked down the hall towards his office, spinning around halfway to the office, fixing his tie, and walking the rest of the way, nodding to a teacher who was staring at him like he was crazy.

"Pickup, nothing," Peter said going through what Troy and Jason usually say. He pointed to himself. "Shop," He then pointed to Drake.

"My brother has the keys." Peter, frustrated, looked at the new kid in their little group.

"You got a car?"

"Not here yet." Peter threw his hands up in frustration.

"So how are we going to get around?" Peter asked glaring at them. Jason sighed and pulled out his keys, ushering them to follow him. When they got to his car everyone's jaw dropped. They stared at the Range Rover in awe.

"THIS is YOUR car?" Not only Troy, but Peter, Drake, and even the new kid asked at once.

"Yeah. My mom doesn't want me driving unless it's to and from school or to the store." He said sheepishly. Peter walked over to him and hugged him.

"I'm so proud. He's disobeying his mother. HE'S A BAD BOY!" They all laughed as they got into the giant vehicle. Once they got on the road, Peter turned towards the boy next to him. "So kid you got a name?"

"Thorsten." He stated simply.

"Nice, exotic even." Drake said. The others nodded, making Thorsten blush a little. "So Thor-"

"Dear god don't call me that. I think the actual Greek god rocked, but that marvel idiot they made him into doesn't do him justice and I don't want any association with him."

"…..So THOR," Drake continued, getting a laugh out of everyone and getting a glare, but a small smirk out of Thorsten. "Why'd you move here?" He asked.

"Just needed a change."

"What about your parents?

"That was the change I needed." Everyone went quiet. "…..What?….I don't know what you guys usually do, but I'm not about to go into some sob story. It's just as simple as that, I left my parents, and now I'm here. Moving on." Thorsten said. They just shrugged and continued to drive around.

"Seeing as how I don't want to waste gas, why don't we pick somewhere to go?" Jason asked the others.

"I'm not sure, keep driving and let me think about it." Thorsten said. He was surprised to see that they actually laughed at his joke and he joined in, albeit a little less enthusiastically.

"Seriously, I need a destination people."

"Why not your house?" Troy suggested. Jason glared at Troy, but went back to keeping his eyes on the road like his mother taught him. "Your mom is at work today, and didn't she say your dad was out of town?" Troy asked him. Jason had wanted to kill Troy, but seeing as how he couldn't do anything to deter the other boys, he reluctantly turned down a street that took them to a posh part of their town. Once they pulled up to a house and Jason had stopped, he looked at them wondering why he was the only one that was getting out.

"Whatever princess you going to visit, make it quick so we can get to your house." Drake told him.

"This is my house."

"BULLSH-" Everyone turned to Thorsten who now had his hands over his mouth to keep himself quiet. Jason laughed and went up to the door and opened it. He ushered them towards it before walking in. The other boys got out of the car looking at the house. If Sharpay were here, she'd have newfound respect for Jason, as far as his monetary value went anyway. The house was easily a two story, wide, with an attic. As soon as they walked in they saw a wide hallway with a chandelier hanging above the doorway. There were circular stairs on either side of the room leading to the upper floor. To their left was a dining room and to the right was a living room. In front of them, underneath the stairs, was a door leading to the backyard which, if they were looking through an actual door and not a portal to oz, was very spacious and well kept. They looked around trying to figure out where to go first.

"His house is bigger than mine." Peter said, turning every which way to look at the house.

"This room is bigger than my house." Thorsten joked, again getting unexpected laughs.

"Uh, guys?" They all turned to the right to see Jason in the living room. "In here." He stated walking away. Slowly but surely they all followed into the giant living room. As soon as you walked in there were steps leading down to a circular area with a couch, a love seat, and two chairs, all recliners, with a rectangular glass coffee table in the middle. The boys all went over to where Jason was where the carpet went to hardwood. "My mom likes to do aerobics." Jason said pointing to the mat in the center of the hardwood. He turned on the flat screen placed against the wall above a door that led to the backyard. This was placed father back then the other, so they knew the living room was big, but the size blew their minds.

"How are you this rich?" Troy asked.

"Remember I said I was a genius, I wasn't joking. I used to do like tournaments and stuff, beating chess champs and whatnot. Wasn't a lot of money, but overall…" Jason trailed off, gesturing to the house as a whole.

"Gimme." Drake said snatching the remote. He started to flip through channels while Troy and Peter started to go through a CD case. Jason chuckled to himself at their antics and then frowned. He only saw three people. Looking around the room he had just made out the back of Thorsten's shirt leaving the room. He followed and saw Thorsten upstairs going off to the right. Jason climbed the stairs slowly, knowing which rooms were back that way and not really worrying about what he might find. He walked straight to his room, since it was the first one to the right and saw Thorsten nosing around on his dresser. Jason, deciding he wanted to play with the boy, walked in and put on an angry demeanor.

"Cute." Thorsten said to himself as he looked at a picture of Jason in a cowboy outfit. He looked over all the trophies and medals from basketball, which even though there were a lot for the team as a whole, there were a lot of individual trophies as well, including some from his Chess Champ days. Thorsten turned around to leave out, realizing he probably shouldn't be in there and came face to face with Jason. "Oh hey Ja-"

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Jason asked, glaring holes through Thorsten. Thorsten got scared for a moment and then figured he'd just apologize and everything would be ok.

"Oh, sorry I was-"

"Sorry, sorry doesn't excuse you for going through my things. Now what the hell are you doing in here?" Thorsten went pale and looked away, trying to think of an excuse to get his new friend to calm down and not kill him. He didn't want to lose the only friend he had, but he didn't know how to really remedy the situation either. Just as he turned back around to say something he saw Jason doubled over on the bed laughing. Thorsten glared, frowning slightly, then smiled an evil smile as he dive bombed onto Jason. Jason let out a wheeze, doubled over, then, as if nothing happened, sat up on one arm and looked at Thorsten, smile on his face. "Knew you weren't a stick in the mud." He said. Thorsten smiled back, rolling off Jason and sitting up on one arm as well. The two boys just sat staring at each other, neither blinking. They were dragged out of it when they heard a crunch at the door. Thorsten blinked and Jason jumped up in triumph. "I WIN!" Jason yelled. Thorsten grumbled to himself and then glared at Troy, Drake and Peter who were munching on popcorn and watching them like they were a new primetime movie.

"Told you Thor would blink first." Drake said. Peter and Troy handed over five dollars to Drake and Jason feigned a pain in his heart.

"So much trust I see." He said sinking to the ground. Troy and Peter looked at each other and then ran over and pretended to kick Jason. Jason, keeping with the theme, started to react to the 'Kicks', jerking here and there. Once they stopped, Jason lay motionless on the ground before looking up and grinning. All four boys were laughing, but Thorsten got up and rushed past Drake.

"What's eating him?" Drake asked as he watched Thorsten run down the steps. Jason quickly got up and followed. He slid down the banister, just making it to the door to shut it while Thorsten was opening it.

"Just leave me alone." Thorsten said, eyes pleading. Jason almost wanted to comply, but he knew that like the others, there was a story in there somewhere that needed to be told, or it'd just cause future problems, like with what had just happened.

"Who did it?" Jason asked simply. Thorsten turned away and said nothing. Jason knew he was plotting to escape so he signaled Troy to come down without Thorsten noticing. Just as Troy started to rush down the stairs, Thorsten made a break for the back door in front of him. Troy hopped over the banister halfway down and got in front of Thorsten. Drake was already coming down the other side and blocked off the doorway to the dining room just in case and Peter came down and blocked the door to the front room. With all four exit's blocked, Thorsten dropped to his knee's and started to sob. Jason walked up and placed a reassuring hand on Thorsten's shoulder, however, he shrugged it off and rounded on Jason, grabbing him by his shirt collar. Troy and the others rushed up but Jason, again, waved them away. "Who did it?" Jason repeated. Thorsten glared at Jason, wanting to punch him. However, he seemed to know that that wasn't the way to go and loosened his grip on the younger boys collar

"The Seeed of Chuck-ee." Thorsten said walking off towards the stairs. They all followed until they were back in Jason's room. He had a king size bed, so they all had room. Drake laid down on the end and Peter laid on top of him, which had somehow become a custom of theirs in only a day. Troy laid along the right and Jason sat next to Thorsten on the left, while he was in the middle at the headboard. "Well, like I said, I don't know how you go about these things, so I'll just start." He said. Jason nodded and put a hand on his shoulder. This time he left it there as he started his tale. "So I'm not from around here, if you hadn't guessed. I'm from a school in the Netherlands called Spangalis. The only reason I even know how to speak English is because we had a teacher and my mother was American. Well while I was there I was always getting into trouble. I would give the students and teachers a hard time, one teacher in particular, who was…gay." Thorsten said, bowing his head in embarrassment. "Anyway, so the principal had this meeting with my father about it. He wanted me present since it was about me, but I wish I hadn't gone, cause my father made it seem like I acted that way because I wanted to be like him. That's so far from the truth." Thorsten then said something in his native language and the others looked back and forth between each other as if one of them knew how to translate. Thorsten, realizing that no one knew his language, decided to keep it in English. "I was saying that they got into a bit of an argument while I was there, but I guess I've got to just explain everything in English huh?" They all nodded and he sighed and continued on with his story, in English.

_**Thorsten and his father sat across from Frank van Hamel, the principal of Spangalis. He looked between the two of them as if waiting for either to apologize and say it wont happen again. Both, remaining silent, stared at him impatiently. He sighed and put his head in his hand. Thorsten's father, Karl Veldkamp, stood up from his chair making van Hamel look up. "Why are we here? So my son made fun of a couple of pansies, big deal, it's not like he's gotten into any fights."**_

"_**Actually he has, two in fact, in the past week. We talked to you over the phone yesterday about it."**_

"_**I didn't talk to no one from this damn school. What the-…..Thor," Thorsten physically cringed from the nickname his father gave him. "When I was out yesterday, you said no one called. Were you lying?" Thorsten looked at his father and then looked away, answering simply by being quiet. His father sighed and looked back to van Hamel. "You know what, I'll deal with my son, but it still doesn't tell me why I'm here. Boys will be boys right. I think your opinion is a little bit biased anyway, seeing as how one of those fruit cups is your son-"**_

"_**Mr. Veldkamp, I will not have anyone badmouthing my students in front of me, especially my sons."**_

"_**What are you gonna do about it? It's not like my son doesn't do the same thing."**_

"_**Which is why I had called you here to see if we could find an alternative."**_

"_**An alternative for what?" Van Hamel looked at Thorsten with a sad look before giving a hardened look to his father.**_

"_**The school board has been considering expelling Thorsten because of his behavior-"**_

"_**BULLSHIT! He hasn't done anything to get him expelled. So help me I'll burn this bitch down if you even think of kicking my son out of this hell hole."**_

"_**Mr. Veldkamp there is no need for that type of language or those types of threats. I said the school board was considering it. However I put my neck on the line and told them I'd meet with at least one of his parents to get him to change his behavior." At this, Thorsten, who had been keeping his head down through almost their whole argument, shot his head up to look van Hamel in the eye. His father ruined their little moment by scoffing.**_

"_**Whatever, you want an alternative, fine. He'll be transferring." Thorsten, again a first, spoke up to his father.**_

"_**What do you mean, I like it here. I don't want to transfer." His father smacked him hard across the face.**_

"_**Mr. Veldkamp I will not tolerate child abuse-"**_

"_**What abuse? That was a little love tap, and do you see a bruise forming anywhere?" Karl said simply. Van Hamel looked to Thorsten then back to his father.**_

"_**When will we need to send the transcripts?" Van Hamel asked. Thorsten looked as if he was going to start crying when he heard Van Hamel give up.**_

"_**I'll send the information, until then, the school is going to be in the U.S., so we need to get going to start packing" Thorsten was about to protest again, but one look at his father silenced him. "If that's all, we'll be going-"**_

"_**Actually I'd like to talk to Thorsten alone. If that's alright with you Mr. Veldkamp." Karl looked peeved about it, but reluctantly walked out of the office to wait for his son. Once he was gone, Thorsten glared at van Hamel.**_

"_**Why'd you just give up?" He asked, tears starting to form.**_

"_**I didn't give up, there's just no reasoning with that man. You should know, you live with him." Thorsten looked down and van Hamel rounded the desk and pulled the chair his father previously sat in up next to his. He wrapped an arm around Thorsten's shoulders and lifted his face up to meet him. "I have faith that you'll be able to take care of yourself. I don't usually do this for students but I feel I need to tell you this. You have the potential to be a great student. You have excellent marks on your work when you actually do it, and you have self control, you just choose not to use it. When you get to your new school I hope that you will make the right choices this time around." Van Hamel finished. Thorsten hugged him, throwing van Hamel off for a second before he hugged back.**_

"_**Thank you. May I go see Jochem Damstra before I go?" Van Hamel nodded and with that, Thorsten walked out of the office and went on his way to see-**_

"_**OI, **_**SON, WHERE **ARE YOU AT!"

* * *

Jason turned towards the door to his room, fear in his eyes. "Shit." Was all he said before jumping up and rushing out his room. Troy and the others crept to the door and peeked out to see what was going on. Jason and his father were talking by the stairs, his father wobbling and a drink in his hand. "Dad, what are you doing home?" He asked his father.

"What, I can't spend some time with my son?" His father asked. He leaned in and wrapped his arms around Jason, spilling some of the drink down his back.

"Seriously dad, you need to cut down." Jason said, pulling back and trying to take the drink from his fathers hand. His father smacked him across the face. Immediately after Jason went down his father rushed over to him and grabbed him. Instead of hitting again, however, he held him.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, it wont happen again, I'm so, so sorry." His father kept apologizing, just as he always did. Jason, as always, rocked his father until he fell asleep in his arms. He gestured for Troy to come out and help. Troy walked over and grabbed the mans feet while Jason lifted from his armpits. They carried him across the landing and towards a room all the way in the back of the other hall. Troy glared at Jason the entire time they were walking.

"Why are you doing this?" Troy asked Jason as they carried Jason's father to his room.

"Because he's my dad. He may not be a good one, but he's better then most," He took a moment to look over to Peter, Drake and Thorsten, who had followed them. They all nodded at him and he nodded back in understanding. "Besides, he's the only one I have." Once they got to his father's room they laid him on the bed and left out. They all headed back to Jason's room and sat on his bed, in the same positions, but no one said anything. Jason decided to break the silence. "Oh come on, it's not like worse things haven't happened. So he get's drunk and hits me, story of my life, it's not that bad and it will never be that bad. I've always been in school the next day and I haven't been to any hospitals-"

"Yet." Troy added. Jason glared at him. Troy glared back. "Don't give me that look, we all were thinking it." Jason looked at him in disbelief, but when he looked around at his friends, they all glared at him, telling him that Troy was right.

"I'm telling you, I'll be fine." He said quietly, looking down at his knees. Thorsten put a hand on his shoulder and Jason shot his head up to look at him.

"Were your friends. Even if you will be fine, you can't fault us for worrying about you." The others nodded in agreement and Jason smiled at them all.

"Thanks guys….sorry for being so uptight about it-"

"Don't worry, we'll just take a couple of movies, some free food and we'll call it even." Drake joked. Troy, as if on cue, pulled out a box of raisin's he got from Jason's kitchen. Jason, realizing this, jumped across the bed and tackled Troy to the floor, trying to wrestle the box from his hands.

"Um, can I continue? Or do you guys need a minute to doosit and get it out of your system?" Thorsten asked. Troy, somehow for a third time in less than a week, had gotten on top of him and was straddling his waist. The two boys looked at Thorsten and then each other and their position. They stood abruptly and got back to their positions on the bed.

"Right, sorry." Troy said laying down.

"Continue, please." Jason added.

"Anyway, so I went to see this Damstra guy. He's the teacher I always made fun of for being gay-"

"And then you went to him for advice on boys, cute." Drake joked. Thorsten tossed a pillow to Peter who had sat up and, since he had his legs around Drake, the poor boy couldn't move as Peter wailed on him for a couple of seconds before tossing the pillow back to Thorsten. Before Drake could react, Peter laid down on him again and kissed his cheek. The boy just melted from it and laid there, content.

"Thank you," Thorsten said. Peter nodded to him before he continued. "Anyway, I went to see him before I left because I figured I owed him an apology. He was less than pleased to see me, but I needed to see him, something in me told me that he was going to be able to help me, and I was right…"

_**Thorsten knocked a couple of times on the door of Jochem Damstra's classroom before entering. Damstra looked up, almost expectantly, then frowned at who entered his class. He went back to his work, a scowl on his face. "Homework is on the board, if that isn't what you need then come back later, I'm busy." Thorsten walked over to his desk and just stood in front of it. "What?" The man almost growled at Thorsten.**_

"_**I'm moving." Thorsten said suddenly. Damstra looked up, going off on the boy.**_

"_**Great, now I wont have my personal tormentor hanging around," Damstra joked. He was worked up so he didn't notice when Thorsten started to cry. " Damstra said glaring. Seeing as how it just made Thorsten cry harder, the man cursed lightly at his error in making fun of the boy. He stood and rounded his desk and sat on it, pulling Thorsten down next to him. Thorsten grabbed onto the mans shirt and cried into it, Damstra rubbing his back while he did so. "Why come tell me?"**_

"_**Because I wanted to apologize." Thorsten answered after calming down a little. Damstra rolled his eyes in disbelief. "I'm serious, I don't know why it upset me so much, I just….." Thorsten looked off, unsure of what he was. Damstra, realizing this, patted him on the back so that he looked up at him.**_

"_**I'm going to ask you a couple of questions and I want you to do your best to answer them with the first thing that comes to mind, alright?" Thorsten nodded, wiping away tears, awaiting the first question. "Alright, question one: When you saw me kiss my partner," Thorsten made a disgusted sound and Jochem smacked him in the back of the head. **_

"_**Sorry." Thorsten said quickly.**_

"_**Yeah yeah. As I was saying, when I kissed him, what did you feel when you saw us?" Thorsten opened his mouth, expecting Hatred, Anger, or Disgust to crawl it's way out.**_

"_**Lust." At this Thorsten looked down, wide eyed, and blushed. He hadn't known that that was what he felt, but looking back, that was the first thought to cross his mind. He seriously needed to rethink his attitude towards gay men.**_

"_**Alright…..awkward."**_

"_**I'm a teenage boy with eyes, of course I felt something seeing two people kiss." Thorsten told the man, making somewhat of an excuse, more for himself than anyone. **_

"_**You sure about that?" Damstra asked. When Thorsten didn't answer, the man continued on. "Ok, so when I told you that I was gay and that he was my partner, what did you feel then?" Again, Thorsten opened his mouth to say something, but then thought about it and shut it. "Come on, what was the first thing you felt."**_

"_**I know it's just-"**_

"_**I only need one feeling."**_

"_**But I felt two." Thorsten said, a look akin to fear in his eyes. Damstra looked taken aback, but nodded.**_

"_**Well what were they?"**_

"_**Well when you said you were gay…..I felt happiness?" Thorsten asked himself. He stared at Damstra for a few seconds before looking away and continuing. "And when you told me that that guy was your partner…..I felt jealousy." Thorsten said, again looking down and blushing. Damstra was blushing himself, looking away from Thorsten, who saw this and laughed. Damstra glared at him and then smacked him in the back of the head, though lighter, more playful this time. **_

"_**Now, why do you think that you felt those emotions?" Thorsten stared at Damstra, just contemplating before he made a decision and leaned in. Damstra pulled back, but Thorsten grabbed him and held him in place. "I'm your teacher Thorsten, this can't happen." He said as Thorsten leaned in closer.**_

"_**I know, I'm not stupid." With that, Thorsten continued to lean in until he got to his destination. Feeling the soft lips on his skin, Damstra brushed his cheek when Thorsten pulled away. "I think I've realized something about myself. I don't think, I **_**know**_** why I felt those emotions." Thorsten smiled and then looked away. "I…I want you to be the first to hear this…only because I have enough respect for you to let you know," Thorsten said. He looked back at him, smiling sheepishly. "Even if I don't always show it." Damstra cuffed him lightly on the back of the head again. Thorsten took a deep breath, smiled, no, beamed and stated proudly, "I'm Gay." Damstra smiled at him and hugged him. Thorsten almost squeezed the poor man to death hugging him back.**_

"_**Well I'm glad you feel you can trust me with this, and don't worry, you can." Damstra said, smiling. Thorsten smiled and nodded back. With that being said, Thorsten and him continued to talk about his leaving and when. Damstra had family he visited every now and then in the U.S. and so he told Thorsten about some of his experiences there…**_

"He told me that I'd have fun and it'd be a great experience for me." Thorsten said smiling at the other. They all smiled and nodded to him. Then Thorsten's features took on a dark tone and the smiles were wiped from their faces. "I guess he never went to the places where it wasn't ok to be gay." All the friends looked at Drake. Thorsten noticed this and looked to Drake questioningly.

"I guess we should go through our stories huh?" Peter asked. The group nodded and Drake asked Peter to go first, not really looking forward to repeating himself. So he did. Peter talked about what happened with Riley, pausing to glare at Thorsten for making kissy-faces. He went on to his part with Mia and then finished with what happened with his 'Ex-father'. After that part in the story, Thorsten was ready to kill his dad, as he stated to Peter. "Thanks, but it's fine."

"If you like his dad that much, then you'll love mine." Drake talked about his father and his little outing with him, as well as what happened after he got home. Thorsten crawled across the bed and placed a kiss on Drake's forehead and then returned to his spot at the head of the bed.

"Seriously, I think we need to just get all our father's together and then call a firing squad." Thorsten joked looking at Jason, Drake and Peter. He then looked at Troy. "You don't really have anything to say huh?" At this, all the others really thought about it. They had friendships based off of their bad experiences. Troy however wasn't really able to share anything because he hadn't had anything happen to him. He wasn't out and hadn't really come out. Not only that, but his parents were both accepting of him. He was like some perfect little gay boy and it made him sick to realize this.

"I guess I don't." Troy said looking down at the bed. Everyone sat quietly and then Thorsten gasped which made them all look up at him.

"You said that you used to live in San Diego right?" He asked Drake. Drake nodded and Thorsten's face drained of color. "That was me." All four other boys shot up in their spots.

"'It was you' what?" Drake asked.

"The kid in the alley…..that had to have been me." He said. He ushered them all back into their positions and he continued on with his story. "So my dad got us packed up and me, him and my mom flew out to San Diego. I was reluctant at first, but I decided to just take it all in. My dad started in on me as soon as we got to our new house and I had had enough. So I ran. I got out of there as soon as I could and I haven't been back." The others looked at him as he smiled, a sense of pride in his eyes. "So after I got away, I found a little bar on the other side of town-"

"Bruiser?" Drake asked. Thorsten nodded and then gave him a questioning look. "Me and my brother tried to sneak in one time. Didn't work out." He said sheepishly. The others laughed at him and then Thorsten continued.

"Well I didn't think I needed to, drinking age in the Netherlands is 17-"

"No wonder you didn't want to leave." Peter joked.

"Exactly, but since it's 21 over here, and I hadn't known, I almost got into trouble…..until my future boyfriend stepped in." Thorsten said with a small smile…

_**The bouncer grabbed Thorsten and threw him out of the line. "I'll be damned if a little kid get's past me."**_

"_**I ain't no-" 'Damn kid' was what Thorsten said, but he said it in Dutch, so the people in line and the Bouncer looked at him like he was crazy.**_

"_**Let him in Mikey, he's with me."**_

_**Thorsten turned towards the door to the bar to see the most beautiful man he had ever seen, even over Damstra, and though he hadn't told Damstra that, for those who knew him, that was saying something. The man was a brunette, hair cut low. Perfect white teeth, smooth skin and the most sparkling green eyes. Thorsten thought he was going to cum right then and there if it weren't for the Bouncer's rough hands dragging him towards the door.**_

"_**I can walk myself." Thorsten said pulling away from the giant. Thorsten walked along into the bar with the man in silence. He looked up at the man and the man was smiling down at him, just staring. Thorsten blushed and looked away. "Is there something on my face?" He asked shyly.**_

"_**Other than a set of gorgeous eyes, a handsome button nose and most luscious lips I've ever seen? Nope, can't say I see anything else."**_

Thorsten paused in his story to daydream about the man. The others shook him and he came back to reality. "Are you with us now Thor-orssssten." Drake said, almost calling him Thor before realizing why he hated the name so much, it being a nickname from his father.

"Yeah I'm back and it's ok, you have the right to call me Thor," Before anyone else could say anything he glared around at the rest. "And ONLY him." The others nodded and, satisfied, he continued with his story.

_**Thorsten blushed at the comment and continued on into the bar, speeding up to get to a stool on the corner so the man couldn't sit next to him. It was all for naught when the man circled around the bar and came up in front of him. "What'll it be?" Thorsten almost kicked himself physically for his embarrassing actions. Instead he just decided to go with a mental kick and a straight 'Heineken'. The man gave him a playful look before walking off. When he returned he handed him a 'Bud Light'. Thorsten held up the beer before looking at the man. "Trust me, it's better." Thorsten took a sip of the slightly sweeter beer before gulping it down. He let out a loud sigh and almost the entire bar went silent, only the jukebox making noise. Thorsten looked around, confused, before looking up at the man who had just finished his own beer. He set the bottle down and then pulled out two more, popping the cap off them and handing one to Thorsten. Thorsten, realizing he had issued a challenge he didn't really want to be a part of was about to get up and leave when he saw a look in the man's eyes. A look that said he'd kill him if he walked off. So Thorsten adjusted himself in his seat and picked up the beer, they clinked the glasses and started to down the beers. Instantly the bar shot up with encouraging and demeaning shouts and comments.**_

"_**This isn't so bad, but I've had better." Thorsten said, finishing his beer off only seconds after the older man. The bar went quiet again, but only for a split second before everyone, including Thorsten, roared with laughter. They grabbed another beer each and just as Thorsten was about to take a drink the man pushed Thorsten's bottle to his mouth. Thorsten in turn, manage to control his drinking and finished before the man. While the man was finishing, Thorsten licked around the bottle's edge and then made sure that the man was the only one to see him stick his tongue inside the bottle. The man sputtered and spilt some of his drink. For a third time, the bar went silent before erupting in cheers for Thorsten. Two men grabbed him from his chair and raised him above their head. They started to carry him off and Thorsten looked back to see the man wink at him before attending to another customer. Thorsten smiled warmly before cheering along with them and yelling to one man who asked his name, "THE ALMIGHTY THOR!"**_

The others were laughing at 'The Almighty' while he blushed furiously. "I was buzzed, I thought of my name, the Greek god and decided to role with it." The others continued to laugh at him as he managed to deepen in color. "Shut up." He stated before continuing with his story.

"_**You have got to bring this kid around more often." One of his new friends, Eric, told the older man, Dustin. "He is a RIOT!"**_

"_**Hey I didn't think anyone could out drink you Dusty." Samantha said, Eric's fiancé.**_

"_**HEY, no one and I mean NO ONE, out drinks Dustin McKinnon." Dustin said glaring at the woman. Thorsten stumbled against Dustin as Dustin carried him to the bus stop. "You gonna be alright from 'ere kid?" Dustin asked. Thorsten was about to nod until he thought about it. He had no home. While changing from a shake to a nod, the movement was too great for his sight, which was too great for his stomach, which ended in him throwing up everything he ate that day on the side of the bus bench. The older man sighed and picked Thorsten up and carried him back towards the bar. The next thing Thorsten knew he was being stripped and placed into a very comfortable bed. He drifted to sleep immediately. When he awoke, he nearly knocked Dustin out of the bed when he started.**_

"_**Where am I?" He asked the man who was, until then, peacefully asleep. Thorsten had to remind himself that if he ever get the chance to do so again, to watch the older man sleep.**_

"_**Your in my apartment." Dustin said rubbing his eyes. Thorsten laid down as Dustin sat up and stared at him.**_

"_**What now?" He asked, blushing again.**_

"_**Still looking at those same gorgeous eyes," Dustin leaned in towards Thorsten. "That same handsome button nose," Thorsten leaned up slightly to meet the man in the middle. "And those ever so luscious lips." With that said, Thorsten and Dustin's lips connected. The kiss was far from brief, sparks flying for both as Thorsten licked Dustin's bottom lip, pleading to be let in. The older man complied, his own tongue whipping itself out to meet Thorsten's in the middle. The man rolled so that he was over Thorsten and, with major protest from Thorsten, broke their kiss. "How old are you?"**_

"_**Old enough." Thorsten said, leaning in to kiss the man. The man pushed Thorsten back down on the bed and glared at him.**_

"_**I may like ya, but if your still a kid then we ain't doin' nuthin' till ya turn eighteen." As soon as the accent broke out, Thorsten almost ripped off the man's clothes, laws be damned. Though he thought for a second and realized what today was. He grabbed his phone and opened it to the calendar. He showed the man the little marker that showed his birthday, eighteenth at that, as being today. "Well happy fuckin' birf'day to ya mate." The man said dropping down under the covers and not coming back up…**_

"For about an hour." Thorsten said with lust filled eyes. The other boys started to all get hard and Troy jumped up from his spot, all eyes on him.

"Anyone wanna go to my house?" Troy asked them. They all nodded and bolted for the door. Thorsten, confused about the commotion, followed suit.

* * *

"Now I know why people need cigarettes after sex." Drake said as he laid back in his chair in front of the T.V. Him and Peter just finished their little 'Sex-capades' and they all leaned back in their chairs. Thorsten, who wasn't part of their first venture, was more then eager to be in this one, being the last to cum. He sat back in his chair and the others looked over to him and then tilted their heads.

"What?"

"Why are you naked?" Jason asked. He looked down and looked back up at them.

"It's comfortable." He said simply, cleaning his hands on a towel next to his chair. After they had their fun, they decided that they'd take a permanent break from Troy's father's 'stash', it had been dubbed, since all the Tivo'd porn shows were gay porn and Troy wasn't ready for that talk with his father, or the one for if they got caught. They headed upstairs to Troy's room, greeting Troy's mother as they went, who had just returned from shopping, conveniently leaving out when they had first arrived. Troy sat in his chair, Jason, tired of the floor, sat on a pillow and in between Troy's legs, leaning against his inner thigh. Peter and Drake went straight for the bed and Thorsten sat at the head board.

"Alright, I think you should continue, and skip all the…explicit details if you don't mind." Peter said. The others nodded in agreement.

_**Thorsten and Dustin were inseparable. Whenever they went to a party, they were the life of it. Everyone wanted to be around them. Even in the bedroom the two were like animals in heat. All seemed well, until about two month's later. Dustin had gone to Canada to visit family and left Thorsten in charge of the apartment. He had left some money for him to spend in the two weeks that he was gone. Thorsten didn't spend a lick of it until he got back. Dustin called him from the airport and told him he was on his way. Thorsten jumped up and went out, buying candles and roses and unmentionable items. When Dustin came home and entered the bedroom he had found a completely naked Thorsten, rose petals covering his pelvis and chest-**_

"HEY, Excuse me." Troy said. Everyone looked at him. He pointed to his private which had a little bit of a tent. Jason, poked the spot, and Troy smacked his hand away. He then pointed to the other boys who were getting hard as well.

"Sorry, but this isn't that sensual of a moment." Troy rolled his eyes in disbelief as Thorsten continued.

_**Candles were lit and placed around the room adding to the seductiveness of the atmosphere. Thorsten winked at him and all Dustin did was scoff at him with disgust. "Seriously, either you'll light yourself on fire with the candles or get a rash from the petals. Clean this shite up." He said before walking out.**_

"THAT BITCH!" Drake and Jason yelled in unison. Thorsten waved a hand at each, calming them down so he could continue.

_**Thorsten and Dustin had grown distant for some reason. He couldn't place why either. After a while he and Dustin were on the edges of breaking up, so Thorsten knew he had to get out first, because he couldn't take being broken up with. He had gotten a job when Dustin went on his trip, to give him something to do and a place to go. He had enough money saved up and had given them two weeks notice. He decided he needed to do it in person and soon so one day he asked Dustin to go for a walk with him. While they were walking he reached out and linked Dustin's hand in his. Dustin tried to pull away but he held firm and dragged him along the side of a building. "I can't keep doing this." Him and Dustin said at the same time. They looked down. "So you noticed it to?" Dustin asked him.**_

"_**The spark is gone." Thorsten said smiling slightly then frowning. He kissed Dustin's cheek and when he pulled away, Dustin pulled him into a passionate kiss. He was about to walk off when Dustin grabbed his arm. He turned him around and looked apologetic.**_

"_**I'm sorry Thorsten. I really wish we had done this at home, over the phone, some other way so this wouldn't have to happen." Thorsten looked at him, confused smile on his face as Dustin pulled out his phone. "I've got him." Was all Dustin said. Thorsten stared at Dustin, trying to pull his arm away but the man held firm. Thorsten, realizing that something was wrong, tried to pretty much rip his arm from it's socket, if possible, to get away from the man. Dustin smacked him hard across the face as a car came down the road and stopped in front of them. Four men got out, all friends of his and Dustin's. Thorsten immediately recognized Eric and was about to reach out to the man when he saw the evil glint in his eye and the gold knuckles on his hand. Thorsten pulled even more trying to get away. Dustin let him go and he fell to the ground in front of the other men. He looked up at Dustin who looked away and then looked back with the same evil glint the other men had. Thorsten jumped up and ran down an alleyway. "THIS WAY!" He heard Dustin call out as they followed. Thorsten stopped in the back alley, hitting a dead-end. When he turned around, he felt the gold knuckles pound into his stomach making him double over, screaming out in pain as he did so. The men started to beat him and call him all sorts of names. He heard Dustin's voice distinctively. "FUCKING COCK-SUCKER!" He yelled as he kicked Thorsten in the face. He heard steps and then they stopped. "You got a problem mate?" Dustin asked. Thorsten managed to look up and see two people. One of them claimed to be the boys father and saying he was just showing him some things that happened in the world like him getting what he deserved. "Well I guess we better make sure to give a good performance." Dustin said. He turned and kicked Thorsten in the gut. "Either of you want a go at him?" He asked the two people. **_

"Drake?" Thorsten said when his thoughts came to that part in the story. Everyone got the connection and looked over to Drake, who, flipping places, was sitting on Peter's back while he was sprawled across the bed. Drake eyed Thorsten warily, wondering if he was mad that he was the boy who had done nothing to help him. Thorsten just shook his head and continued on.

_**Thorsten watched as the father and son went off. Dustin and his crew beat him a little more before they heard police sirens.**_

Again, Thorsten stopped, looking up at Drake, realizing he was the one that had called them. He pretty much flung himself across the bed, hugging Drake until he was gasping for air.

"Your welcome, now give me my lungs back." Drake joked. Thorsten pulled away and smiled a thank you to Drake before sitting back against Troy's headboard, continuing on.

"_**Dusty, come on, cops are comin'." Eric said as the others rushed off. Dustin waved him off and Eric just sighed and ran. Dustin picked Thorsten up and sat him against a gate. Thorsten, still somehow conscious, glared at Dustin.**_

"_**I told you baby. We should've dun this sum other way." Dustin said kissing Thorsten's cheek, aiming for lips but denied by Thorsten. Thorsten glared at him again, spitting in his direction. He had expected him to be mad but Dustin smiled at him. "I still love you. Which is why your alive now. Just know that….please….if you believed anything about me…..believe that." Dustin said, eyes filling with tears. Thorsten wanted to keep glaring but something stopped him. Dustin's eyes had changed. He knew that he wasn't, but for a split second they looked like the eyes of the man he had seen that first day outside the bar. Thorsten reached up and pulled Dustin in for a quick, chaste kiss and there it was. The spark that had left their relationship came back, full swing, and with added force. Thorsten pushed the man away and told him to run as the police sirens came closer.**_

"They took me to a hospital to get checked out. They asked if I had parents, I told them the number and waited for them to arrive. They also asked if I knew who did that to me…" Thorsten trailed off.

"Well?" Drake asked after a few seconds.

"I told them…..no…..I was out with my boyfriend and I had left his house to go home. They jumped me from behind and I didn't see who it was. Though they didn't really pay attention to any of that. They just picked out boyfriend from the sentence and closed their books before I was done with my explanation. Though before I could call them on it, my parents came in. My dad came at me and I grabbed a bed pan and hit him in the head, knocking him out." At this the boys all cheered for Thorsten's quick thinking. "Anyway, I told the police that he beat me, pretty much on a daily basis, my mother backing me up, since he was knocked out and couldn't do anything about it. They were reluctant, but one policewoman, who I just knew was a lesbian, had came in just in time to hear our story. She arrested him on the spot. My mom told me that I needed to be back in school and I was flipping through a magazine one day when I heard about your school. I told her about it and we moved and here we are." Drake started to applaud, the others joining in. Thorsten stood on the side of the bed and started to bow. They all started when a very loud clap was heard from the door. They looked up to see Troy's father clapping.

"So this is what you guy's do? Talk and reminisce about past hurt and such? A little 'Broken-Hearts Club'(4) much?" His father asked the group. "By the way, you mom wanted me to tell you that you missed dinner." Troy looked at him confused and then looked outside. It was night. "It's 9:15." Jack stated. All the boys started to jump up from their spots until Jack waved them back down. "I've called your parents and told them you were here. Drake, your mother dropped some pajama's off for you. Thorsten, your mother said to be nice, and Jason, your mom said your father is on another trip and that she was going to her sister's for the weekend so you'll be staying here for the duration of it. Peter, your mom somehow found the school's number from, and I quote, 'The Asshole Suit from Hell'," Peter smiled at his mother's choice of words. "She said that she's glad that you've made some friends and to call her next time you get the chance. If that's all, I'll leave you to bitch and moan." Before he could even make it out the door, the boys were glaring at him. Troy stood up and looked at his friends.

"You guys mind telling your stories again?" Troy asked. They all nodded, knowing what he was getting at. Troy ushered his father back in and made him close the door. He stood by the door and waited, wondering what they were up to.

"We just want you to hear what we 'Bitch and Moan' about." Drake mocked. He smiled proudly, then sheepishly at the glare he received from Jack on his choice in language. They all went through each tale again, Jason even adding the bit about his father that afternoon. By the time they were done, it was nearing 1:00 in the morning. Troy's mother had come in the room looking for Jack and, seeing him with the boys, gave him a look and asked him if he was coming to bed. He told her that he would in just a bit. That was around 10:30. While the boys were telling their stories a number of emotions flashed across his face. Sadness, Anger in all tales, sympathy, happiness in Thorsten and Drake's case with their fathers, and so many others that couldn't really be placed. However, he never uttered a single word. When they had finished, they all sat quiet, waiting for Jack's response.

"Well…..Those were…something…..Alright I'm gonna just say it straight, and I know I may offend you at some point, but just bear with me?" Jack asked the boys. They nodded, wondering what his brain had come up with. "Alright. Peter," Jack closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them he went on a little bit of a tirade. "Your dad is a jackass. Point blank period," Troy and the others were laughing at the look of disbelief on Peter's face. "He says he has no son, then fuck him. You don't need him as a father, and if he does come back to you, and ask you to take him back then do it, he may be flawed but he's still your father, but make him earn your acceptance, the same way, for some stupid reason, you had to earn his." Peter nodded and smiled. "Besides, even if he doesn't come to you, you've not only got a mother who loves and accepts you, but friends and, if my eyes don't deceive me, a boyfriend who loves you and would do anything for you." Peter looked up at Drake and smiled at him. Drake leaned down and kissed him, smiling. "Now Drake." Drake looked back up, frowning, afraid of what Troy's father would say to him.

"Yes Mr. Bolton sir?" Drake asked hoping that he'd be a little calmer and nicer with him. He punched Peter in the side who had started to laugh. Peter rolled and knocked Drake off him. Drake, unlike Peter in all his ungracefulness' the other day, hopped off and landed on the bed next to Peter.

"Same thing with you, your father may have been worse then Peter's but he's a jackass all the same. If he ever comes back to you, do not, and I repeat, DO NOT meet him alone," All the boys leaned back at Jack's raised voice. "He may say he wants your forgiveness, but he needs to prove it not only to you, but your family as well. If he does contact you and you can't get in contact with any of these guy's, call me and I'll be happy to come. Your father may be strong, but he'll be dealing with a black belt who doesn't like people messing with his son or his sons friends." Jack said smiling. Drake nodded at him and Troy was looking at him in disbelief. "Oh come on Troy, how do you think I got all that set up in the basement, I've been teaching some little rich kid brats how to do a couple of moves. Their parents pay me big bucks just to make sure their kids can take care of themselves so they don't have to waste money on bodyguards. And no I'm not raising your allowance," He said to Troy who, seeming as that was the next question he had, sat back in his chair and pouted. "And no I'm not starting an allowance for you two either." With that, Jason and Thorsten sat back and pouted as well. Peter and Drake chuckled at the three. "Now Thorsten-"

"Yeah yeah, I know exactly what your gonna say. 'Your father was a jackass and I'm proud of you for the way you handled it, but you shouldn't have fell in love so young and you need to be more careful and blah-de-blah-de-blah and crap.'" Thorsten finished, waving his hands in an 'I don't care' fashion.

"Actually, your half right. Your father is a jackass and your right, I am proud." Jack said, standing and walking over to Thorsten. He sat down and pulled the boy into a hug. "But don't think for a second that you should ever be faulted for falling in love. It's something that can't be helped. Some people would say that you fell in love with the wrong person, but it sounded like he really loved you. The way I see it, as long as he loved you back, and YOU can forgive him," He said, pointing a finger into Thorsten's chest to add emphasis to 'you'. "You chose the right person to love. Also, you guys were some freaks." Thorsten almost choked, going into a coughing fit as the others laughed their asses off. "Seriously, gay, straight or whatever, you would be excellent porn material." With that, Jack patted his back and walked over to Jason. Jason immediately stopped his laughter and looked up at Troy's dad.

"Yes sir?" He asked sheepishly.

"He ever touch your mother?" Jason nodded, sitting up. Jack crouched down and stared him in the face. "He touches either of you again, I'm kicking his ass," Jason was about to protest but Jack stopped him. "You wont be able to stop me. He either get's help or I'm making the both of you leave him in the dust, got it. Tell your mother to tell him she'll leave. Weather she wants to do it or not, make her do it. If he tries anything, drunk or sober, you can protect her. He may be quick, but, and Troy's going to hate me for this, you're the fastest person by far on the squad," Troy squeaked in protest but his father raised a hand to him and then continued. "You better make sure your mother stays safe you hear me. And if she needs to leave then you both can stay with her sister, or you can come stay here. Your always welcome. You all are." Jack finished, looking at each individual boy. They all smiled at him and then looked at each other. He stood to run but they had already tackled him and they were all piled on top of him. They were all laughing and so they didn't hear Troy's mother come in. Though they heard the broom as the bristles connected to each and everyone of their heads. They all scattered apart and she glared at Jack while he was on the ground. He managed to get up and slide past her. She turned and glared at the boys who had miraculously managed to fit onto Troy's bed with what looked like space for someone to sit at the end.

"GO TO BED!" She yelled. Troy, in the middle, kicked his foot under the covers and lifted, Jason and Peter, on either side of Troy, grabbed the blanket and smoothed it out, and Drake and Thorsten, taking the ends, cut off the lights on the end tables on either side of the bed. Troy's mother cut off the overhead light and turned around, the light from the hallway giving her a look of undead, before she turned back towards her room, clutching the broom wildly as she slammed the door. The boys sat in quiet, listening for some sign to see if it were safe. Hearing Troy's father plead before a giant 'THWACK' resounded from down the hall, they knew that it would probably never be safe and they all went to sleep, Peter turning over to cuddle with Drake, Jason laying with his arms behind his head and Troy and Thorsten on either side placing an arm over his stomach. He should have been content, but for a split second, he almost leaned into Thorsten's touch. Disregarding it, he went to sleep.

* * *

Troy awoke next morning to see he was the only one in the bed. He looked around but saw no one. He sat up quickly, thinking of where they could go, looking for some type of note or clue. He heard a stifled laugh from his closet and he continued to look around, inwardly grinning. "I'm gonna kill those guys. I can't believe they left me. Oh well, better get dressed. Now let's see, I don't wanna dress like Drake because, who would," Troy said putting his feet over the side of the bed. He swung them up and saw a hand try to reach out slightly and grab them. A second hand shot out just as quickly and pulled the first back. "Peter is just as hideous though," With that two hands shot out and two came out to drag them back. He stood and walked over to his desk. "Maybe I can get tips from Jason. Yeah right, the day super nerd looks cool will be because he decided to dress in the light for once," He heard someone move in his closet but said nothing. "And then we have Thorsten, the boy could use some-" Thorsten burst out of the closet along with Jason as Peter and Drake crawled from under the bed.

"Alright, we get it, you knew we were here. Finish that sentence and you're a dead man." Thorsten said, trying to pull off his old bully routine. Troy, not buying it, simply looked confused at Thorsten.

"My dear boy, whatever did you mean? I had no idea you were here." With that, Troy walked out and closed the door. As soon as he did, he rushed down the steps, the boys already clambering over each other to get the kill shot in on him. He skidded to a halt in front of his parents before walking over to hug his mother. "Mommy, there being mean to me." Troy stated simply. The boys rounded the corner and would've dived over the table, if not for the death glare they received from Mrs. Bolton.

"Shut up, sit down, and eat." His mother stated, shrugging Troy off her and going into the kitchen. Troy was about to do as directed until he noticed something different about his mother. Her usual cheeriness in the morning was gone. The eggs weren't scrambled or seasoned for that matter, and the toast was burnt. The pancakes weren't even their usual circles, somehow looking as if the batter was poured into a mold for Italy and the batter spilt out to make it seem wide and thin. He looked over to his mother and then looked back at the table, noticing something else.

"Mom…where's dad?" She glared at him and then threw a plate in his direction. He ducked, but he was by a wall, so when the plate shattered behind him a piece nicked the side of his neck. He held the spot, staring at his mother. She continued to glare and then turned, running up stairs, tears in her eyes. The others sat quietly, not eating, but afraid to look up during the commotion. Troy was about to go after her, but decided against it. He knew that if he did she'd just find a way to kill him and he didn't want that. He settled down at the table, putting up a brave front. His friends all looked up at him, waiting for some type of explanation. Something that told them he was going to be alright. Troy just smiled at them and went to eating his breakfast. The other four boys looked at each other, keeping quiet still. Drake, not one to stay quiet for long, decided to break the silence.

"Let's do something today. Screw parents, and everyone else. It's a Saturday and we don't need to be in the house."

"It's 11 o'clock in the morning. Where are we gonna go?" Jason asked, skeptical.

"Well…..I'm glad you asked." Drake said, a hint of mischief in his eyes. The others looked at him like he was crazy. "Just get dressed and then I'll tell you where to go." He said to Troy. Troy looked back and forth and then pointed to himself. "Yes you idiot. I think it's time we had some fun in Troy's little pickup." With that, Drake finished the last of his pancake and went upstairs to get ready.

"Where do you think he's taking us?" Peter asked worriedly.

"No idea, but I don't think I wanna go." Thorsten said. Troy and Jason nodded in agreement.

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see I guess." With that, Peter finished his plate as well. He waited until the other three were done, making idle small talk as he did so. Once all four boys were done, they were about to go upstairs when Drake came back down.

"I have no idea why you don't wear this, it's so comfortable." Troy, Peter, Jason, and Thorsten stared at Drake with mouth's wide open. Drake had on a pair of leather pants that hugged his hips in all the right places and then some. He had on black shoes and had on black wristbands. The shirt, which he was referring to as Troy's, was a tight, leather, sleeveless, zip-up shirt. He had it halfway zipped so that his chest and abs were showing, but it covered his belly button and below.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" Peter, Jason and Thorsten yelled to Troy, giving him accusatory looks.

"My aunt bought it for me as a gag gift when I turned eighteen. Said I had earned the right to look sexy." Troy said. The others looked at each other before thanking whatever god/goddess gave Troy's aunt the idea to buy the revealing item.

"So, go get dressed, try to look like me, and Troy has more leather, so obviously his Aunt is into a couple of kinks, or either…Troy is." Drake said winking to Troy as he passed him and went to sit on the couch in the living room. Before Troy could protest the boys going through his clothes they were already in his room. He got upstairs just in time to see Jason reaching into the back of his closet. Everything seemed to go into slow motion for Troy as he rushed at Jason to try and stop him. It was too late, however, and as he tried to tackle him, Jason spun, pulling what he was reaching for out with him. Troy hadn't even hit the ground before he heard the laughter. In Jason's hand was a hanger with an assortment of thong underwear on it. One in particular stood out.

"So, your into Leopard skin huh?" Jason asked wiggling his eyebrows.

"LOOK IN HIS TOP RIGHT DRAWER IN THE SIDE DRESSER!" Drake called up. The boys looked at each other and then at Troy. Troy must have realized what Drake had found, because he found a new strength as he jumped up and ran to the drawer and barricaded it with his body.

"No one looks at this but me. I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS DRAKE!" Troy yelled downstairs. Jason rushed up and started to tickle Troy. Troy in turn, kneed Jason in the balls. Jason dropped, clutching his jewels as he went down. Peter decided to try his luck and rushed up, making sure to stand sideways somewhat, as he tackled Troy. Troy, seeing this coming, sidestepped as Peter went head first into the wall beside him.

"Ow…..mommy may I have my buttercup?" Peter said sliding down the wall. Thorsten was the last of the group and Troy was adamant about not showing it. Drake had come upstairs when Troy had called out to him and decided to see what was happening. He was standing at the door, wondering who was going to win this battle. Thorsten walked up and grabbed Troy around the waist and kissed his cheek.

"I'm asking nicely. I wont tell them either. May I please see what's in here?" Thorsten asked. Troy looked at the long eyelashes as Thorsten batted them and reluctantly moved aside. Thorsten nodded his thanks and then looked inside the drawer. He smiled and then burst into a fit of laughter. Inside the drawer were a set of shirts and shorts. The thing he was laughing at, however, was a 'Hello Kitty' thong that was laid delicately on top of the clothes. Thorsten closed the drawer and gave Troy a pleading look.

"Please…..for the love of god…..tell me that your aunt bought that?" Troy looked down and started to blush.

"The package said it was scented." Troy said pushing Thorsten away from the drawer as the others started to get up. Troy glared at Drake. "Happy, now he knows as well."

"I don't know what your talking about. I hadn't even looked at the drawer. I wanted to know myself which is why I came up." Troy glared at Drake but reluctantly let the boy go back downstairs, knowing that if he were to move, Jason and Peter would jump his drawer like Pierce jumped anything with a penis. "Hurry up boys, If you want to change in your own clothes then just throw on something and meet me outside." Drake said as he walked off. The boys decided that was best and got dressed in some random clothes of Troy's, all of which fit in one way or another for some reason. Troy got dressed in a black short-sleeve shirt and black jeans. He grabbed a pair of his dad's sunglasses, just because, and then left out. They met Drake out side and they got into Troy's pickup. Jason, Peter, and Drake were in the back, Troy was driving and Thorsten was up front with him, not wanting to be outside of a moving vehicle with no seatbelt on dirt roads with mischievous boys. Giving all those reasons, the others still wanted to be inside, all except for Drake, but Troy just told them that he liked Thorsten better then the rest and since it was his truck they had to listen to him.

"Stupid rule." Peter mumbled as he was getting in. Since Troy had already started the car, he let go of the brake and the car went forward a little. He watched in the rearview mirror as Peter fell backwards off the truck. A resounding 'Ow' came from the back and Troy felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him.

"Your kinda mean when you want to be huh?" Thorsten asked him. Troy just smiled and drove away from his house. Peter was in the back this time.

"My house is up here." Peter said. They stopped to let Peter out and when he came back out, the boys whistled at him. He had on a black sleeveless vest and a black fishnet shirt underneath. He had black jeans and shoes and black sunglasses on. Once back in, Troy continued to Jason's house. Jason earned just as many whistles when walking out in an Asian looking button up shirt, black slacks and black gators. He slipped on a pair of thin sunglass as he got back in. Troy made a stop to Thorsten's house next and when Thorsten came back out, his jaw dropped.

"Seriously, why aren't you taken?" Drake asked. Peter smacked him and then let his jaw drop as well as he saw Thorsten. He had on a tight black top that was exactly that, a top. It wrapped around his upper half, showing not even his neck, but showing off his stomach. It was basically black saran wrap. He had on tight black latex pants that drew attention to the bulge in his pants purposely. Troy looked Thorsten up and down, wanting to jump the boy then and there. Shaking it off as Thorsten got back into the car, slipping on Sunglasses and grinning at Troy as he did so, he kept driving, taking random directions from Drake. They had went into town by then and Drake hadn't told them where they were going. He would have just told everyone to get out, if not for Thorsten's company. For some reason he had become close to Thorsten. He could talk to him better than he could with Chad sometimes, and Chad was like his brother. He kept driving, making idle small talk with Thorsten. Thorsten rolled up his window and then looked at Troy.

"Roll it up." He commanded. Troy did as he was told, wondering what the boy was planning. Thorsten closed the window behind him, telling Drake that if he needed to tell Troy something, knock. He then sat back in his seat and started to mouth something. Troy looked at him like he was crazy until he realized he was just screwing with the guys. He decided to play along and pretended to laugh at something he said. They paused and looked back and almost jumped out of their skins. Drake, Peter, and Jason had pulled down their pants and were mooning them. Thorsten pulled open the window and smacked the middle ass. Jason's familiar voice yelped as he fell forward in the truck. Peter and Drake laughed as they slid into a sitting position.

"Oh yeah, were almost there, make a left up here." Drake added as an after thought.

"Finally." Thorsten and Troy said at the same time glad to be done with the hour and a half drive. They smiled at each other as Troy came to the turn. Troy turned down the street and almost immediately wanted to turn back. In front of them on the right side of the street was a very provocative looking club. The sign was a man in a cowboy hat and pants that, when the lights flashed, they changed to the man mooning the air with the name 'Rodeo Rick's' over his ass.

"You brought us to a strip club?" Peter asked like Drake had just said he shot the president.

"Yeah, and? I've been to plenty. They let you in easy, 16 at the youngest, and as long as you don't try to order a drink and don't harass the help, they'll let you stay." Drake said as if he'd been there before. Or maybe one like it at least, cause when they had all gotten up to the front of the line, the man gave Drake a weird look.

"How old are you kid?" He asked Drake.

"I'm gonna go ahead and say Twenty." Drake stated, handing the man a Twenty before trying to slip past. The man grabbed him by the neck and dragged him back. People in the crowd were chuckling, and some outright laughing, at the display of stupidity on the child's part. Thorsten walked to the front of the line and glared at the man.

"Long time no see Mikey. I don't know how you got this job, but if you don't wanna lose it and a couple of teeth, then you better remember me, or I'm gonna kick your-" 'Bloody Ass' was what Thorsten finished in Dutch, making 'Mikey', the bouncer back in San Diego, look at him, shocked, before pulling up the rope and letting him in. He placed it down when the others tried to follow. "Their with me." Thorsten said pointing out the four boys he came with. A young boy in all white, looking like the polar opposite to Jason except for the white fedora, was waving at him, pleading for him to let him come in with him. Thorsten waved the boy down and the boy jumped to the front of the line.

"Where's he coming from?" Mikey asked.

"Parked." Thorsten said simply, placing an arm around the boys shoulder and walking inside with him. The boy turned around and stuck his tongue out to the large bouncer. Once they were in the boy turned to Thorsten and hugged him.

"Thank you so much. I don't know what I'd have done without you." The boy said kissing Thorsten on the cheek. He tilted his hat forward to cover his face a little.

"Well it was my pleasure. What's your name?" Thorsten asked the blond haired boy.

"I could tell you, but I'm gonna let you guess. If you can guess my name, then I'll give you a kiss." The blond haired boy said, lifting his hat and flashing bright green eyes at him. Thorsten remembered the green eyes of his former lover and instantly hated the boy.

"I don't have time for silly kid games." He spat, turning and walking off. Once he got back to his friends, who already had a table by the runway, he sat down close to Troy and leaned on his shoulder. Troy didn't say anything and no one else seemed to notice. Well, almost no one.

"Hey Thorsten, how old are you?" Jason asked. Thorsten lifted his head, Troy sighing, though it seemed like he was doing it for the man who had to leave the stage.

"Eighteen, you?" He asked back.

"Seventeen, and Troy is eighteen." They looked over to Drake and Peter who were currently ogling each other. Jason coughed loudly to get their attention over the music and their own hormones.

"Huh? Oh uh…I'm seventeen." Drake answered after a moment of thinking.

"Eighteen for me, sorry kiddo." He said rubbing Drake's hair.

"Never touch the hair." Drake said glaring. They laughed and then went back to watching the dancers as they came out, one catching Troy's eye specifically. Troy excused himself to the bathroom, making sure to be discreet as he snuck to the dressing rooms. He walked in and saw men everywhere, all scantly clad or 'non-clad'. He walked over to the familiar brown tuft of hair of the man behind the umpire mask going by the name 'The Coach'.

"Dad? What are you doing here?" Troy said. A few dancers next to them pretended to do their makeup and change clothes, but really trying to listen in to the two.

"I don't know what your talking about." His father said. Troy glared at the man and reached for the mask. The man jumped up and pushed Troy down. The other dancers all went silent. Some were looking at Troy with pity or sympathy while the rest were glaring holes through 'The Coach'.

"Come on, maybe the kid is just some crazed fan but you don't have to go and beat him up." One dancer said.

"I'm not some crazed fan. I'm his son…..or I thought I was…." Troy said looking down at the ground. The other dancers, some just coming back into the room to watch, others reluctantly leaving as they were called to the stage, all looked up at Troy's father, wondering what he was going to do. His father took off the mask to show his face. He was nearly in tears. He bent down and pulled Troy into a hug.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He said. He stood up with Troy and dragged him outside so they could talk alone. Back inside, the others were wondering what happened to Troy. They were going to go check on him when Thorsten saw the boy from earlier. He looked horrible. He was sitting in the back at a lone table. He had dark rings under his eyes like he'd been crying. Thorsten's soul returned from it's momentary lapse when he had said the harsh words to the boy. He stood and was about to walk over when Jason almost dragged him back to his seat.

"What?" Thorsten asked glaring at Jason.

"That's Ryan." Jason whispered. The other three looked over at the boy then back at Jason like he was crazy.

"So?"

"So? SO? He's Ryan Evans, brother to Sharpay Evans, and son to one of the richest people in this freaking town. If his father wanted to he could buy the school, and he's tried to before." Jason said. The three looked back at the boy in a new light. Thorsten still got up and walked over, the others following this time. When he got to the table, the boy gave him a look that would have put him eight feet under if looks could kill. He sat down anyway.

"What the fuck do you want."

"I wanted to try to guess your name. Only I have a new bet. If I get it right on the first try, then you let me give you a kiss, and an apology, but if I don't then you can pour this drink on me." Thorsten said waving to the drink in front of Ryan. Ryan thought about it and, wiping his tear stained cheeks, sat up a little, grabbing the drink to ready himself. "Is it…Ray?" Thorsten joked. Ryan thought about it and then nodded. Thorsten gave him a weird look and was about to say something when he got a drink to the face.

"I do accept your apology, and that was just payback. Besides, I didn't want to be the only one at this table looking like a soaked puppy." Ryan joked. They laughed slightly before Ryan gained a thought. "How'd you know my name?" Thorsten pointed to the table he just came from only to look over and see that his friends were gone. "The mystic stripper table told you huh? Not a very reliable source then if he told you Ray." Ryan joked. Thorsten slapped his arm playfully and Ryan flinched back. Thorsten looked at Ryan's arm then his hand to see if it decided to grow spikes in the next five seconds. Ryan pointed at him in a 'Gotcha' manner and they laughed again.

"I was here with some friends, but they seemed to disappear." Ryan, hearing this, looked up, scared.

"Do you go to my school?" He asked, voice full of fear.

"Yeah, but don't worry, I wont tell anyone." Thorsten assured, realizing what was frightening the boy. "Besides, if I told anyone that I saw you here they'd ask what I was doing here, and I'm not about to have that conversation yet, maybe sometime later like next Tuesday. Yeah that'll be good." He joked. Ryan laughed and Thorsten was in love. Just as he was about to ask Ryan something, the other boys rounded on the table, circling it so that they filled up the little ring of space on the other side. Ryan looked up at Jason, surprised and then nodded slightly. Jason nodded back and then looked down. Ryan then looked to Peter and Drake and nodded to each who nodded in return. The whole table went into an uncomfortable silence.

"Why are you here?" Troy asked his father after a few moments of silence. "What happened with mom? Why is she looking like the walking dead and trying to kill me with dishes?" Troy said pointing to his neck. His father looked at the scar and sighed.

"Me and your mother were talking last nit-well, this morning. She told me that I shouldn't be hanging around five gay teenage boys. It'd look bad to any parent or teacher who found out and-"

"BULL," Troy yelled. "I mean really if they actually think that then their sick and for mom to even suggest-"

"She wasn't suggesting it, she was just saying that some people would think that. And she's right."

"So what, you decided to get a job to strip for guys? What are you doing trying to find yourself?" His father looked away. The next question Troy had to ask, but he didn't know if he wanted to hear the answer. And even if he wanted to, he wasn't sure if he was ready. "Are you and mom gonna get a divorce?" His father looked up at him like he was about to say 'No, I love your mom and we wouldn't put you through that', but with the way things were going, his father just shrugged his shoulders and looked down to the ground. Troy sighed, taking the impact of the non-verbal statement in and trying to make sense of it. "I still love you." His father looked up at him. "No matter what, even if you do come to the conclusion that your gay and you and mom break up, or if you say your straight and stay together, I'll always love you, and I won't let you forget that." Troy said smiling. His father smiled at him and then placed an arm around his shoulder pulling him into a one armed hug.

"I thought I was the parent and father figure in this relationship?" He asked Troy.

"Well things change." Troy said. They hugged again and then went back inside. His father's name was being called and Troy ushered him out. "Go, shake what ya mama gave you and what my mama wants." He joked. The other dancers in the room chuckled at the comment, Troy's dad included, as he put on his mask and went onto the stage. When Troy exited, getting a couple of autograph's and a few kisses from the dancers, some asking him to come back anytime, he saw his father taking off his mask and throwing it into the crowd. Jason stood and caught it and swung it over his head. The crowd cheered him on and then went back to looking at the stage. Jason, finally realizing who was on the stage, blanched and dropped the mask. All the other boys went white in the face as well. Troy just shook his head and went over to their new table. "Heya Ry, when'd you get here?" He asked Ryan, sitting down next to Thorsten, that being the only open seat. Troy didn't really mind though as he placed an arm around Thorsten's shoulder.

"Um, I actually came in with you guys, with his help of course. I still don't know your name." Ryan said looking at Thorsten intently. Thorsten leaned over and whispered his name in his ear, effectively leaving Troy's hand to fall. Troy, realizing that that wasn't an accident, smiled at the two. They made an interesting couple obviously. Troy looked over to Jason who was staring at him. Jason turned away just as Troy looked at him, blushing. Troy smiled at him and then looked back up to the stage. A women came over and handed each of the boys a drink.

"Compliments of our dear Coach. He says to tell Snow White here Happy Birthday and that this is the only drink you get and then you guys gotta get to steppin'. Though I can't say I don't agree, I won't say I'll be glad that you leave." The waitress said, winking at Ryan. "Then again, the watching you leave part….that I'll love." She said, walking away, shaking her ass as she went. The boys looked at Ryan questioningly.

"Birthday?" Thorsten asked.

"Yeah, just made Seventeen. I told The Coach about it when I snuck in Wednesday. I didn't think that'd he'd remember. Or that that coach was our schools coach." Ryan said downing his drink instantly as he remembered ogling his gym teacher only a couple of days ago.

"Wait, Wednesday? My dad said he was going to….oh my gosh." Troy said realizing where his dad was really going and not to teach 'Martial Arts'.

"More like 'Seductive Arts'." Drake joked realizing what Troy had. The other boys followed suit and all of them, except Ryan, laughed.

"Anyone wanna let me in on the joke?" Ryan asked. They told him about the two-bit story Troy's dad had given about going to teach spoiled rich kids to do martial arts. Ryan laughed a little, rolling his eyes. "He was telling the truth." They looked at him confused and he rolled his eyes again. "I'm one of the people he teaches." Ryan said, then he realized that 'The Coach' was standing in front of them. Ryan grabbed Thorsten's drink and downed it and then got up and walked away from the table. Drake downed his, Peter's, and Jason's, and Thorsten, actually wanting his drink, stole Troy's. All the boys nodded to the older man and then left, Troy hugging his father as he did. A few men awed at the sweet moment, mostly dancers who had been backstage during their episode, while others growled, jealous customers at anyone getting so close to the new guy and weren't them. Troy waved to Mikey as he rushed out the door and over to the parking lot. The others were waiting for him. "So what now?" Ryan asked them. It was only about 2 o'clock and they were itching to do something else.

"Hey look." Jason said. They turned to see a flyer being put up for a fair that was being set up. The Grand Opening was at Nine, so they had time to spare. They decided that they'd go wherever Ryan wanted to, to celebrate his birthday. He got an evil glint in his eyes as he told them to follow him. He walked over to a green Carrera GT, an unusual looking vehicle for anyone with Evans in their name. Troy and the others got into the pickup and Thorsten stood in the middle of the lot.

"Hey Ry." Thorsten called. Everyone turned towards him. "I'm gonna go with Ryan, I mean were going to the same place right?" He asked. Without waiting for an answer, he rushed over to Ryan and hoped into the passenger side. The others got into Troy's truck, Jason sitting up front, forced by Peter and Drake, and they headed off, following behind Ryan and Thorsten. They ended up at Ryan's family's country club. Ryan had their cars parked with the family cars and they all went in. They looked at Ryan, wondering what he was planning.

"You probably wonder why were here. Well, my mom, being the lover of outer beauty that she is, ordered me a spa day today if I wanted to use it. She also said that I could bring any of my friends here as well." Before Ryan had even finished the sentence Drake and Peter were ecstatic. He told them of all the things they could do. Peter and Drake went off to the private Jacuzzi's. Jason and Thorsten wanted to try squash for the first time, and Ryan and Troy went to the steam room. "So…..What do you think of Thorsten?" Ryan asked. Troy said nothing, seeing as how there was another man, a grumpy old man who looked like he enjoyed buying companies just to fire the people in them, sitting across from them. "I was thinking about asking him out." The man, grumbled something that sounded like 'Queer' and stood to leave. Ryan glared at him as he was walking out. "And proud of it." He said, just loud enough for the man to make out. The man turned and glared at Ryan and then left out, slamming the door.

"What was that about?" Troy asked him.

"What? He was being a jerk. Besides, he wasn't one of my father's buddies, so it's not gonna get back to him." Ryan stated simply. Troy continued to look at Ryan before settling back to enjoy his steam. He paused in getting comfortable and looked back over to Ryan.

"Go for it." Ryan looked at him confused. "Thorsten, you said you wanted to ask him out. Go for it. He's a good kid, and he's my friend, so if you have impure intentions-"

"Yeah yeah gramps, make sure he's home by ten, no kiss or sex on first date, make an honest man out of him and blah-de-blah-de-blah and crap." Troy smiled at the similarity between Ryan and Thorsten.

"Exactly," Troy said, deepening his voice to sound like a parent. "And if you do 'do the do', make sure you have plenty of protection and what not." Troy said pushing up imaginary spectacles. Ryan and him laughed out loud at his impression.

"So what's Ryan like?" Thorsten asked Jason. "I mean, he's kinda cute, don't you think?" The man who was in the steam room walked in at this point and walked back out of the seating area in front of the squash rooms, muttering something like 'They're everywhere' under his breath. Thorsten looked at Jason and they just shrugged.

"Well. I wouldn't know where to begin. I don't hang out with Ryan, or at least I haven't wanted to in a while. We were cool over the summer, but since we came back to school he's always hanging around his sister and seriously, if you've ever met her, she's evil." Thorsten had to laugh at the look on Jason's face. "SHE IS!" Jason exclaimed. He started to run down a list of things she had done in he past year alone, including over their summer break. Thorsten laughed at some parts and cringed at others. When Jason was done with his little rant Thorsten couldn't speak. When he finally got his voice back he made a small gesture as if to speak but nothing came out. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just….Ryan isn't EXACTLY like his sister….right?"

"Nope, he's the more down to earth of the Evans siblings." Jason stated as he went into one of the squash rooms. Thorsten inwardly jumped for joy as he followed.

"So you think we should get out yet?" Drake asked. Peter was holding Drake close and kissing along his neck. Drake squirmed slightly from the contact, wanting it, but at the same time rejecting it.

"Why, you not having fun?" Peter joked. He looked up at Drake who was smiling sheepishly. "Your not are you?" Peter asked more seriously.

"I am, it's just….I've never…..you know…" Drake pointed to his private as if that was the only hint Peter needed. Apparently it was because Peter nodded in understanding and kissed his boyfriend.

"It's fine, I haven't either, so we can take all the time we need to get it right." Peter said leaning in to kiss Drake again.

"Or," Drake said putting a finger to Peter's lips. "We could wait a little. Not too long, just an incubation period really, nothing special, just-" Peter kissed him to shut him up.

"It's fine. I want you and only you. I'll wait for as long as you want." Drake almost jumped Peter, but refrained from doing so, realizing it would contradict his earlier statement. And he mentally put an emphasis on contraDICt. Once the group had their little day, going from one room to another, all somehow, except Troy, having encounters with the homophobic man who ran out of the club with his suit messed up screaming 'THEIR INVADING!'. The boys walked out after him, laughing. "That was hilarious." Peter said wrapping his arm around Drake's shoulder as he walked. Troy walked next to them holding his hands in front of him over his private.

"Yeah it was, but did you have to grope me?" He asked Thorsten. Thorsten just looked skyward shrugging.

"I still say the kisses were over the top." Jason said, remembering Drake and Peter kissing, Ryan and Thorsten kissing, and him kissing Troy on the cheek.

"Whatever, you liked it." Ryan joked. They laughed again and continued to walk to their cars. Ryan had stopped, however, which made everyone look back. "Where are you guys going?" He asked them. Thorsten walked up and patted him on the shoulder.

"I knew my kisses scrambled brains, but Hon, there's this thing that's called a car see-" Everyone laughed as Ryan pushed Thorsten away from him.

"I know what a car is, and a Truck," He added seeing Troy about to reply. "However, were going to the ball in style." Ryan said. Just then, a black-lined, white stretch-limo pulled up along next to Ryan. The boys looked at each other and all rushed to the large vehicle. Ryan shook his head as he followed them. Troy and Jason were on one side and Drake and Peter were on the other. Thorsten, for some strange reason, decided he liked the floor, laying on his back in the middle of the limo. Troy, Jason, Peter, and Drake all put their feet up on him, finding some place for them. Thorsten glared at them and flailed, dislodging feet and getting up and rushing to sit next to Ryan in the back. He snuggled close to Ryan and glared at the other boys. Ryan mock glared at them. "How dare you hurt my pet, get out." Ryan said, pointing to the door. Thorsten shot up and looked at Ryan confused.

"What the fuck do you mean 'pet'?" Thorsten asked. Ryan playfully smacked him on the nose.

"Bad doggy, no back talking." He joked. The others were laughing at the display.

"Doggy bites." Thorsten said biting at Ryan's hand.

"Doggy finna get neutered." Ryan said pulling his hands away. At this, Thorsten's face, which was absolutely priceless, blanched as he laid on the seat and cuddled his head in Ryan's lap, looking up at him with a lopsided grin, as a way of apologizing. The others awed as Ryan started pet Thorsten's hair which were replied to by two middle fingers from the boys. They continued to talk about random things, mostly the new boys telling their stories, short versions anyway, and Ryan nodding in understanding or glaring at no one because of what the men did to them. When Thorsten finished his story, Ryan leaned down and kissed his cheek. Thorsten smiled at him and rolled over so he was facing the other boys. Ryan continued to pet his head as they continued on to the fair. Once there, the boys got out and all eyes were on them.

"Seriously?" A girl asked walking up to them. "I give you props for your fashion choices, but it's a fair, not a club." The fair skinned girl joked.

"Well just cause the rest of the world wants to look like only a thousand bucks doesn't mean we can't look like a million." Drake told her, putting on his sunglasses. The girl nodded and walked over to a fortune teller booth. They thought she was going to get her fortune told. That is until she pulled on a brown cloak looking dress. She fixed her hair up so that it was in a bouncy ponytail on top of her head. She then sat in the teller's seat and pulled out a crystal ball.

"Come one, come all. Have your fortune told by the mystical, the professional, and might I say, the b-e-a-u-tiful," She paused to check herself out in the crystal ball.. She realized she was still in the middle of something and went back to her opening. "Uh, uh Mada-Madame," She held the word Madame. "RAVEN!" She yelled, a smoke cloud appeared at her feat for a second before it fizzled out. She looked down and noticed the smoke disappearing. She kicked the machine and a whoosh of smoke shot out into her face. The crowd started to laugh at her as she started to cough. Jason, being the kind hearted soul that he was, went over to help the girl.

"You alright?" He said, helping to clear some of the smoke.

"Yeah. That did not go how I planned it." Raven said, looking away slightly embarrassed. She smiled at the boy sheepishly. "Thanks. Oh, wait, would you like to be my first customer?" She asked him. He thought about her performance and was about to walk away. "First fortunes free." She said. Jason instantly sat down.

"Well since I'm here." He joked. She sat across from him and set the crystal ball in the middle of the table. The others came over to see what was taking him so long.

"Seriously? You actually want to do this?" Peter asked him. The girl looked off into the distance for a second before smiling wickedly back at the group of boys.

"Excuse me Peter, but I was talking to Jason, if you have a problem with that then maybe I'll just tell Drake here about your tattoo?" Peter blanched as the others were starring at her in amazement, well, all except for Drake who was pointing at Peter and laughing. "Drake, I wouldn't laugh, you got a birthmark shaped like a-"

"Alright we get it, your the real deal, could you not?" He almost pleaded. She nodded and looked back at Jason.

"How'd you know our names?" He asked her.

"Madame Raven knows all sweetie. Then again, since I'm traveling with my boss, who doesn't want to pay me for this little trip, I need to know everything." She said, thinking of her bosses stinginess. She looked back at the group of boys who were looking at her weird. She smiled sheepishly and then looked at the crystal ball. She looked off into the distance again and stayed that way for a while. She looked back at the boys and frowned slightly.

"Seriously? That's your vision face?" Peter mocked. Raven glared at him.

"My vision may just save your life Peter Michael Stone. Heed my words, your father shall be coming to you tomorrow, do not believe a word he says. He spouts lies to you and is not to be trusted." With that she turned to Drake.

"Drake Belldum or should I say Parker," Drake started at his old name.

"How do you know about me?"

"I told you, Madame Raven knows all and she knows that your father shall come to you one night soon. Stay with Peter, stay close to him. If you do not, you will surely see darkness for all eternity." Drake slinked closer to Peter and put an arm around his waist. Peter put both his arms around Drake's waist and pulled him closer. She then turned to Ryan and Thorsten. "Peter, Thorsten, you two make a lovely couple," They smiled at each other. Her demeanor changed again. "However both of you need to watch your fathers. Should they ever meet, disaster will occur." She turned to Troy and at Jason as well. "You two, I need to speak with alone."

"We'll be over here." Peter said. With that, him, Drake, Ryan and Thorsten all rushed off towards the concession stands.

"Jason, you need to give into chance. It will work out. Your mother and father will be fine, as long as you heed his father's words." She said pointing to Troy. "And Troy, you need to give in to risk. You may not like what you have to face, but at some point, possibly in the near future, you have to face it." The boys looked at her and nodded. They stood and walked over to their friends.

"What'd she say?" Drake asked. Troy and Jason looked at each other and then back at their friends, shaking their hands, not wanting to repeat what she spoke to them. "She had to have been the real deal. How else did she know all that?" He asked the group. They looked back over to see the woman make her face again. She looked at them and made a gesture that meant a little to the left. The boys all walked to the left and as they did they heard someone above the wretch. They were by a spinning ride and someone had just thrown up. It went every where, and would have landed on all of them had it not been for the woman's warning. They looked back to the table to see she was gone. "Dude, what can she teleport now?" Drake asked them. They were about to say yes when she appeared next to them.

"No, it's called a bathroom break sweetie. COMIN' THROUGH PEOPLE!" She yelled as she rushed to a port-a-potty a few feet away. The boys laughed slightly as they went through the fair looking at random things and getting on random rides. Around 11 o'clock, there was an announcement that stated that there would be a karaoke show later. The boys went to the area where Raven was up on stage. "Alright, people, who out there thinks they've got the lungs of an angel?" She asked then turned to where the boys were. "And the guts to match?" She added looking out towards the boys specifically. "Come on, there's gotta be someone out there who wants to 'break free'," Troy looked up surprised at the girl. "Maybe you just need a sec to 'get your head in the game'?" Jason, tired of the jokes, started to walk towards the stage.

"Your 'pushing it to the limit'." He joked. The crowd laughed as he stepped up to the mike. She winked at him.

"I knew you'd be first. Oh, and tell Ryan that he should go next, the song is perfect for him and Thorsten will love it." She said covering the mic so only he heard. After she left the stage, Jason sang his heart out to N'sync's 'Bye Bye Bye'. He told Ryan what Raven said as he got off the stage and Ryan nearly jumped onto the stage to make sure no one else would go before him. He looked at the screen and smiled.

"I'd like to dedicate this to my friends. You guys are about to learn something new about me." Ryan said, pulling his hat down. The crowd looked over to his friends and ooh'd a little, some outright laughing at the looks of confusion on the boys faces. The band started to play as Ryan stepped up to the mic.

_Ryan:_

_J'en ai jamais assez, je suis vite lass__é__e,_

_Je voudrais combler ce manque_

_Mon obsession me hante,_

_J'en ai jamais assez, je voudrais bien trouver_

_Que j'ai beaucoup de chance,_

_Me rendre á l'évidence_

_We are we are on the radio now, the radio now!_

_We are we are on the radio now, the radio now!_

The boys looked at Ryan with bulging eyes. "Who knew?" Drake asked. The others boys looked at Ryan in a somewhat new light. Of course he knew French, he was an Evans. It was still a shock to hear him not only sing it, but sing it perfectly.

_J'en ai jamais assez, je vois toujours après,_

_Des fois je me demande_

_Comment je peux m'y prendre_

_J'en ai jamais assez, je suis vite lass__é__e,_

_Je suis jamais contente,_

_On dit que je suis chiante,_

Thorsten walked up to the front of the stage with the rest of the boys so that they could cheer him on. Ryan looked down and smiled at him as he continued on singing.

_We are we are on the radio now, the radio now!_

_We are we are on the radio now, the radio now!_

_We are we are on the radio now, the radio now!_

_We are we are on the radio now, the radio now!_

The crowd was jumping up and down cheering loudly for Ryan. He started to shake his hips and dance to the music, closing his eyes, he almost forgot where he was. Almost, as he opened them just in time to start the last verse.

_J'en ai jamais assez, j'aimerais bien penser_

_A 2 centimètres á l'heure_

_Pour éviter les pleurs,_

_J'en ai jamais assez, je suis vite lass__é__e,_

_Il faudrait que j'entende,_

He looked at Thorsten directly when he said this.

_un jour tu seras grande,_

He winked at Thorsten as he started to yell into the mic, rock concert mode.

_We are we are on the radio now, the radio now!_

_We are we are on the radio now, the radio now!_

The crowd repeated the line another four times with him as the band faded out. Once the music stopped, the crowd was cheering for Ryan to do an encore. He apologize to them, saying he had to go. They awed, but cheered him as he left the stage. He got to the edge and jumped down into Thorsten's arms who kissed him passionately, earning 'ooh's' and 'aw's' from the crowd. If there was someone out there who didn't like Ryan and Thorsten's type of relationship, Ryan's singing had won them over. The boys all either congratulated Ryan or asked him where he learned how to sing like that and how he knew the song. "Me and my sister practice French by singing this song in French. As to my voice, me and my sister have never not been the leads to a musical. Well, other then when Troy and Gabriella came to our school." Everyone looked at Troy, expecting him to be all bashful about the compliment. Troy, however, was looking off into the distance, as if he was having a vision. Raven walked past and looked at Troy.

"You get them too?" She asked excitedly. Troy shook himself and looked at her confused. "Never mind." She said depressively, walking off. He stared after her for a second before he noticed that the other boys were looking at him.

"I'm fine, just went into a little bit of a daze, sorry." The others just nodded or shrugged and then turned toward the stage to see another person working up the nerve to sing. They stood there for a while, watching good performances and not so good performances. Raven came back up to the stage and was about to ask someone else to come up when Jason called out to her.

"Let's hear you sing." She almost glared at him but decided against it.

"Sorry Hun, I'm here for the fortune teller booth. Which reminds me, I'm late for a palm reading, 'scuse me," She said walking towards the edge of the stage.

"Oh come on," Jason said, getting up on the stage. "You've been sitting here all night, taunting people to come up, and I've heard you making fun of some people when they came up as well." One group, a trio of young girls who had horribly sung 'Survivor', had looked up at Raven, glaring. "Why don't we get to see what type of voice you have? Or are you just plain horrible?" Raven was back at the mike so fast he was almost pushed over by the breeze she created.

"I don't think so. Step back fool, let a real performer show you how it's done." She said as the lights dimmed. Jason jumped off the stage and turned just in time to see the lights go into a spotlight on Raven. She had somehow changed her outfit that quick. The African garb she had on before was replaced with a black and white vest and black slacks. She had on black heels and a white long-sleeved under shirt. To top off the outfit, her hair was in a frizzy ponytail and she had a black visor on. She turned toward the crowd as she started to sing.

_Raven:_

_S-S-S-Su-Superstitious_

The word was echoed when she said it, the lights turning green over her as she did, giving an eerie feel to the stage. The band started to pick up the song's speed a little, giving a more hip-hop beat to it, rather then slow-hop.

_Mmm_

_Oh Oh_

_Mmm_

Two girls had come out of nowhere. One was a girl about Raven's age, long auburn hair flowing as she stood at an extra mike that appeared out of nowhere. The other was a girl that looked to be a little younger then the boys. She was obviously from another country, by her fair skin, and she had curly brown hair. She fixed her bangles and stepped up to the third mike, which had also magically appeared.

_Very Superstitious, Writings on the wall,_

_Girls:_

_Superstition Ain't the Way, Ain't the way_

_Raven:_

_Very superstitious, Ladders bout to fall,_

_Girls:_

_Superstition Ain't the Way, Ain't the way_

The crowd started to clap to the beat, dancing a little as she sung. Somehow a circle had cleared and some guys were in the middle dancing. The boys watched in good fun. Thorsten smiled mischievously as he pushed Troy and Jason out on the floor.

_Raven:_

_Thirteen month oh baby,_

_Broke the looking glass,_

_Girls:_

_Superstition Ain't the Way, Ain't the way_

_Raven:_

_Seven years of bad luck,_

_The good things in your past,_

_Girls:_

_Superstition Ain't the Way, Ain't the way_

_Raven:_

_When you believe in things that you don't understand,_

_When you suffer,_

_All:_

_Superstition ain't the way_

Jason and Troy shrugged and then each boy dropped down, doing flairs on the ground. Troy stopped in the middle of his and did a back flip over Jason and then went back to sync up with Jason in doing a couple of more flairs. They spun and stopped, their feet touching in the air with the poses they did. Thorsten did a head slide and broke through their little pose, knocking both boys down. He did a flip from the head slide and smiled wickedly at them. He then did a front flip into a back flip and then did another back flip, moving his feet as if he was running upside down in the air. He landed in a split in front of his friends. They moved out of the way as another group of boys came into the ring to show off their skills.

_Girls:_

_La, La, La, La, La_

_Superstition_

_La, La, La, La, La_

_Raven:_

_Very Superstitious, Wash your face and hands_

_Girls:_

_Superstition Ain't the Way, Ain't the way_

_Raven:_

_Rid me of the problem (Rid me of the pro-pro-p-p-p-p-problem)_

The crowd turned towards the stage in time to see a second Raven disappear. Though it was cool, it was very frightening.

_Do all that you can_

_Girls:_

_Superstition Ain't the Way, Ain't the way_

_Raven:_

_Keep me in a daydream, Keep me going strong_

_Girls:_

_Superstition Ain't the Way, Ain't the way_

_Raven:_

_You don't want to save me,_

_Sad is my song_

_Girls:_

_Sa-Sad is my song_

_Raven:_

_When you believe in things that you don't understand,_

_When you suffer,_

_All:_

_Superstition ain't the way_

Raven did a flip off the stage, over the girls who were glaring at her earlier, the backup girls following immediately after. The crowd made way for them as they did a dance number on the floor and then floated backwards in the air towards the stage. They landed in their original positions just in time to start the last part.

_Raven:_

_When you believe in things that you don't understand,_

_When you suffer,_

_All:_

_Superstition ain't the way_

_Girls:_

_La, La, La, La, La_

_Superstition_

_La, La, La, La, La_

_Superstition_

The girls sang until the song faded and the crowd went wild once they were done. Everyone was either clapping or stomping their feet. The girls bowed from their places on stage and then the lights went back to normal, cutting off for a second before doing so. When they came back on, the girls and the extra mic's were gone and Raven was in her Teller's outfit. She looked out at the crowd confused. "What's with the looks? You guys still want me to sing?" Almost everyone in the crowd shouted 'NO'. "Well excuse me." Raven said walking off the stage. The crowd dispersed, some giving thanks and praise to Ryan, Troy, Thorsten and Jason for the shows they gave. They nodded their thank you's and appreciations and then headed for the limo which had just pulled up. They were about to leave when they saw Raven in normal clothes and her booth was packed up. Jason told the others to wait for him and he rushed over to her. "Oh hey, did you have fun?" She asked him.

"Yes, but I have one question. I know your psychic, but are you really here with your boss?" He asked her, wondering if that was just a hoax. Out of no where, a tall lanky woman came up next to them.

"Raven, I ordered a coffee at 9 o'clock, it's nearly 1, where have you been?" The woman asked her. Raven smiled at Jason sheepishly and then looked over to her boss.

"Sorry ma'am, I was looking for it, but no one seems to have it here." She said, hoping to take the aim off of her own forgetfulness by blaming the fair keep. It seemed to work as the woman glared at the area around her.

"You would think that in a place where they have such advanced technology they would know what a half-calf, mocha sparkle sprinkle surprise with extra sprinkles was." With that the woman turned and walked off.

"Well there you go. Ms. Donna Cabana, ladies and gentlemen." Raven joked.

"Well I still don't think that you came here with her. You planned this," Raven was about to protest, but Jason stopped her. "Even If you didn't, I'd like to think you did. Your our groups guardian angel in a way." He said smiling.

"Nope, his dad is. Trust me, listen to him and he will never steer you wrong. Unlike me. I gotta say, these visions of mine are a little cryptic." She said. "Just be on your guard for the next couple of days." Jason nodded and walked off. He stopped after a couple of steps, turning back to her.

"One more question."

"Yeah?"

"Is it love?"

"Nope." She said simply looking away to put something up. Jason frowned and was about to turn away when she looked back up at him smiling. "It's better." With that, she grabbed her case and walked in the direction that Ms. Donna walked off in. Jason smiled after her and then ran over to the limo.

"He was gonna leave you." Ryan said pointing to Thorsten.

"It's your limo."

"Yeah, but I'm very perceptible to change and persuasion." Ryan stated, leaning against Thorsten's chest slightly. Thorsten wrapped his arms around him and Peter and Drake looked at each other and made gagging sound.

"Shut up." Thorsten said throwing a bottle of water at them. Jason reached out and caught it as he sat next to Troy. He opened it and drank a little, leaning over on Troy so that their shoulders were touching. Troy gave him a look, but said nothing. "So does anyone believe anything she said?" Thorsten asked the group.

"Well we'll find out tomorrow." Everyone looked up solemnly at Peter as his prediction seemed to be the only one up for conformation. The limo started up and drove off. There was a phone in the car so all the boys decided to call their respective homes to tell someone that they were going to be staying at Ryan's. Everyone was tired from the day and had started to doze off. Ryan dozed off first in Thorsten's arms, Thorsten following shortly after. Jason leaned his head on Troy's shoulder and Troy leaned his head on Jason's and they both conked out. Drake kissed Peter lightly and then fell asleep. Peter looked around to make sure that everyone was asleep. He laid Drake on the seat and then crouched in the limo as he walked over to where the phone was. He sat down on the seat next to it and then dialed a number. "Can you meet me tomorrow. I think we need to talk." Peter said to the person on the other line. With that out of the way, he went back over to his seat and laid Drake's head in his lap and then went to sleep himself.

* * *

Troy was the first in the group to wake up the next morning at around 10 o'clock. They had all been changed and placed in a gigantic bed. He looked around the room and saw Sharpay standing at the door. He blushed as he thought about her being the one to change them. She rolled her eyes at him, knowing what he was thinking. "Don't worry, it was the limo driver. I made him do it. It was either that or the sack. He didn't grope anyone either."

"Thanks." Troy replied quietly. She just shrugged and then turned and walked out. Troy slipped out of bed and then went to find a place to work. He and Jason would have to do their presentation come tomorrow and he had no idea what to put for his paper. He knew that if he asked that Jason would let him use his paper he already wrote, but he wanted to prove to the younger boy that he could handle writing this. Not only that, but Troy wanted to make the paper A+ worthy work without Jason's help. He couldn't think up a single thing to write on the Pro's and Con's of a totalitarian government though, for two reasons. One being he didn't know what that type of government was. Two, even if he did know, he was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to get information on it unless he lived in one, which he was sure he didn't. He sat down at the kitchen table with a pencil and paper.

"Do you need anything sir?" A maid asked him.

"No, thank you." He replied sheepishly, waving her away. He looked back at the paper, hoping that no one would interrupt him again. "Damn you Falsironical." Troy said to thin air as he picked up his phone. "Meet me in the park in ten minutes." With that, the person on the other line hung up. Troy sighed, realizing what a jerk he was. He went back upstairs and got dressed. When he finished, the boys were all up and talking on Ryan's bed.

"Where you off to?" Jason asked him.

"Dad asked me to come home, something he wanted to talk to me about." He said walking out the door. He heard one of the boys phone ring as he left but paid no attention to it. He rushed downstairs, pulling out a coat by the door that looked to be Ryan's, since it was raining slightly.

"Is Troy there?" Jason almost dropped the phone.

"Um, no, he's on his way to see you." Jason replied.

"Well why? Did he say?"

"Yeah, he said you had wanted to talk to him."

"Well I do but I haven't talked to him all morning." Jason told Jack that he'd go find Troy with the others help. He hung up and told the others what happened. They all dressed and then rushed out.

"Where's my coat?" Ryan asked, looking at the coat rack to only see his mom, dad and sister's coat's on it. They realized that Troy must have took it and they all rushed out of the house, getting into the limo from the day before and driving around to look for Troy. They finally found someone that looked like him going into the park. They got out and Ryan told the driver to head home and he'd call if he needed him. They rushed under two umbrella's towards where the person was. When they caught up with Troy he was sitting on a park bench just…..sitting.

"Why is he here, breaking Forest Gump's record for longest squatter in a park?" Drake asked impatiently. As if on cue, Troy stood and Greeted Gabby with a 'hello', which was, in turn, returned with a smack to the face.

"I'm sorry Gabriella."

"Bullshit. You break up with me, you don't give me a reason, you don't call, don't text, you don't even come to class anymore." Gabby said near tears. Troy tried to hold her hand but she snatched it away. "Just tell me one thing….why?" She asked glaring at him. Troy looked at his feet for a bit, wondering if he should tell her. The wind started to pick up and her hair started to flow. Troy saw this and was reminded of that day a little over a year ago. Troy was hoping that he hadn't outwardly cringed when he thought about it. "Thinking of when we first met?" Gabriella asked him matter-of-factly. Realizing Falsironical was up to her old tricks, he smiled sheepishly before glaring at the ground as if it was to be expected to swallow him up and by not doing so it was failing at it's purpose in life.

"I did love you." Troy began. Gabby scoffed but didn't interrupt. "I just fell out of it." Troy felt like Drake's father and cringed inwardly as if the boy could hear him. A little ways away behind a bush, Drake was glaring holes through Troy.

"That FUCKING B-" Peter and Thorsten covered Drake's mouth. Gabby looked towards the bush but didn't seem to notice, or, if she did, didn't say anything.

"So what happened? Was it my looks? Attitude? Maybe I didn't put out so you put me out?" Gabby said pushing Troy. This time Troy cringed outwardly, feeling like Peter in his situation with Mia. He hadn't wanted to tell anyone just yet, knowing just by the other boys stories that he wouldn't just be automatically accepted by everyone. Peter saw Gabriella start to push him and frowned slightly.

"At least their already broken up." He said to no one in particular.

"Come on Troy. Give me the verdict. You feeling like we should do this over the phone? Maybe you have a posse of idiots waiting behind a bush somewhere to tell me it's all a joke?" She said pushing Troy again. He was then reminded of Thorsten's boyfriend who wished they did this over the phone or in their apartment. He also remembered the 'posse of idiots' that Dustin had called. Thorsten almost stood up to go tackle Gabriella, but Jason and Ryan pulled him down.

"Gabby I-

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" She yelled, shocking all the boys into a stupor. "That is a name reserved for my boyfriend and certain friends. I don't want to break up, but I don't want to lose this friendship either. So at least tell me. Don't leave me hanging…..Why Troy….why did you break my heart?" She asked, clutching his shirt, glaring at him with tear stained eyes.

"Because I'm g-"

"TROY!" Troy and Gabriella looked up to see Troy's father running over to them. Gabriella quickly wiped her tears and walked off. She pulled out a pen and threw it into a bush as she continued walking. Troy wondered what it was about when he saw the pen get thrown back out. Gabriella spun and grabbed the pen in midair and put it back into her pocket before continuing to walk off. Troy looked after her for a little before glaring at the bush.

"She's gone, you can come out." Jason, Thorsten, Ryan, Peter and Drake all clambered out from behind the bush.

"If we had known that you were going to talk to Gabby-"

"You would have come anyway, thinking I needed moral support." Troy interrupted Jason. The others looked at each other and then nodded slightly at Troy's statement.

"So what now?" Drake asked Troy.

"Now I wait until she's calmed down and try to talk to her again." Troy says. "First, though, I have a paper to do." Troy said, walking off towards his house.

"Oh, Troy, that's what I wanted to tell you. Ms. Novato asked me to tell you and Jason that you don't have to worry about the presentation. Once Jason started to show his true genius colors, all the teachers broke up the partners he had. She says that she trust you, because you never copied off of Gabriella, so you don't have to do your project." Troy jumped into the air and then did a little dance. He then realized where he was and straightened up and looked at his dad.

"Thanks for letting me know father. I shall go ahead and make the most of my time that I have now with working on important and civilized things." Drake walked up and put an arm around his shoulder.

"Yeah, like going to a strip club is civilized."

"THAT WAS YOUR IDEA!" Troy yelled. The others just laughed at him. He sighed and walked off. Troy's father told them that he was working at the club late tonight so if they wanted to go home, they were welcome to it. They decided to head back to Ryan's house. Troy's father offered to drop him off in his new car. They walked to the street and jaws dropped, even Ryan's.

"Are you actually telling me you own a Rolls Royce?" Ryan asked him.

"Yeah, just got it this morning. You know going to a strip club is a very unhealthy addiction," He said going to the driver's side. He turned toward them grinning, putting on a set of sunglasses. "One that I am very happy to supply." He finished as he got in. The boys all rushed to the vehicle. Troy in the passenger, and the others in the back. Troy's dad dropped them back off at Ryan's and waved to them as he drove off.

"Hey, you guys go have fun, I need to go see someone." The boys glared at him. "It's not like with Troy and Gabby, it's my mom." Peter said. They nodded and Ryan called the limo driver out to take Peter to where he needed to go. After he drove off, they all went inside. They sat in Ryan's room watching T.V. Drake asked him where the bathroom was and then walked out leaving the door cracked slightly. He headed down the hall to the bathroom. He went in and stood in front of the toilet.

"Did you guys see something?" Jason asked them. He had turned towards the door and saw someone go past, thinking it was Drake, but they didn't come in.

"Nope." Troy said, entranced by the movie. Jason stood and walked over to the door to see who the person was. Drake was just finishing up and when he was about to zip his pants up someone came and slammed his head into the wall in front of him.

"Did you miss daddy?" He heard his father say in his ear. His father reached in front of Drake and grabbed a hold of his genitals. Drake cried out as he felt his father squeeze.

"Drake?" He heard Jason call. His father hit Drake over the head, knocking him out. He then climbed out the window in the bathroom just as Jason entered. "DRAKE!" He yelled rushing over to his friend. He slid across the floor, stopping on his knee's in front of him. He picked him up slightly so that his head wouldn't fall into the toilet or something and laid him flat on the floor. By then the others boys had rushed in. Sharpay popped up and whispered an 'oh my god'.

"Call Sarah, tell her possible concussion, blunt force trauma to the head, blow from front and behind, and scar forming above the forehead." Ryan said. Sharpay nodded and pulled out her cell phone, rushing to the door to meet this Sarah when she arrived.

"You wanna tell me why your calling some chick instead of 911?" Troy asked.

"Family doctor, if it was serious then I would have called 911. Sarah's been teaching me things since I first met her and so I can honestly say he'll be fine, but he needs someone with more experience to dress his wounds." Ryan replied leaning next to Drake and petting his forehead. Just as Troy was about to counter, Sharpay and a young woman, presumably Sarah, rushed into the room. Ryan looked at her confused.

"I was downstairs when she called. Just finished up an appointment with your mother." She said, leaning next to Drake with a carrying bag.

"Honey?" Troy's dad called as he entered the house. He left his mask at the house and came back to get it. Hearing no one call back he figured his wife was at work. He slipped in and started to look for it. He went upstairs to his room and froze when he saw his wife on the bed, bags next to her. "You aren't…are you?" He left the word out in the air for her to catch. She tossed the mask and a matchbook from the club to him. He looked up, apologetic and was about to say something when he noticed something. She couldn't have been leaving. She was still in a bathrobe. He looked at the suitcases and realized that they were his bags.

"We need to talk." She said as she stood up. She walked over to him and shut the door, just in case anyone came home while they were talking.

"Here's fine." Peter told the driver. He got out of the limo and told him to circle the block a couple of times until he signaled him to come get him. The driver nodded, only listening because he was being polite, and because there was a Pizza Hut up the street. Peter watched the man drive off.

"Hello Peter." Peter turned toward the voice and smiled slightly.

"Hey dad."

"Peter?" Drake asked as he started to wake up. He looked around the room and saw a woman talking to Ryan at his bedroom door. He felt the bed move and looked over to see Jason frantically crawling across the bed towards him.

"Drake, are you alright? How do you feel? Can you hear me? Can you see? How many fingers am I holding up? Can you speak? Why aren't you speaking? Do you need something-"

"Yeah," Drake said placing a finger to Jason's lips. "I need you to shut the fuck up. I have a headache the size of a school bus and your just making it worse." Drake said, smiling slightly. Jason grinned and hugged Drake tightly. Drake wheezed. "Can you not kill me after my near death experience?" He asked Jason. Jason let go and then smiled sheepishly.

"You should thank Jason, he found you and he's been by your side since." The woman at the door said. She nodded to Ryan and then left out. Drake looked back at Jason and smiled a thank you, which was returned. Drake sat up slightly as he retold the others what he remembered from his encounter with his father.

"She said that he'd come one 'night' soon." Ryan said, confused about Raven's fortune.

"Maybe it means he's coming back?" Jason asked darkly. He stood and walked over to the window. He saw a bush move outside, but didn't say anything about it. "I think we should relocate ourselves, though be discrete about it." Jason said walking back towards the others.

"I don't think we need to go all 'Undercover Agent' mode. Besides, if he does show up again, he'll be taken out by security." Ryan stated simply.

"He got past them once already. What's stopping him from getting to me again?" Drake asked glaring at Ryan.

"Me, because I'm part of the night shift." Ryan stated going over to his closet and pressing a button on the wall. The closet twisted to show a set of weapons behind it.

"What are you a secret agent?" Troy asked going over to look at a set of throwing knives.

"Nope, I just wanted to be more prepared when I started to take the lessons from your father. I get into the things I do and take them very seriously. It may not seem like it, but I'm the one who convinced Sharpay to go out for theater with me," The others looked at him amazed as he flipped a set of Nunchaku around before pocketing them, "Not only that, but I asked for the personal trainer. Sharpay just decided to do it with me so I wouldn't be alone with some man in a room who was there to teach me ways to overpower people." Ryan pocketed the throwing knife set that Troy was looking at.

"Seriously, you are an extremely weird person." Thorsten said. He walked up and kissed him. "And I love it." He added.

"Good, well now what?" Drake asked from his position in the bed. Troy looked at the clock. It read 2:00PM.

"Now we wait for Peter." Drake almost jumped out of the bed at Troy's words.

"Crap, I should have stayed with him." He said, leaning back in the bed. He thought about Raven's warning and only now took it seriously. "What about your prophecy fortune things? Aren't your worried?" He asked Thorsten and Ryan.

"Not really. My dad is somewhere in San Diego locked up." Thorsten replied. Ryan nodded to Drake.

"Yeah, and my dad is never here, he's always overseas working on cases." Ryan said.

"What does your dad do?" Thorsten asked, truly interested.

"Oh, he's a lay-…..shit." Ryan said rushing out of the room. The others followed, Jason helping Drake out of the bed. Thorsten caught up to Ryan in his fathers study. He was frantically looking through the drawers. "What's your dad's name?" Ryan asked. Thorsten looked at him like he was crazy. "WHAT'S HIS NAME?" He yelled.

"KARL…..Karl Veldkamp….damn calm down." Thorsten said walking over. Ryan seemed to find what he was looking for. He slumped into the office chair and held out a file to Thorsten, starring off into the distance as if he lost hope in life. Thorsten took the file and saw it read, plain as day at the top of the case file, Karl Veldkamp. Thorsten dropped the file on the desk and hunched over it. Troy walked up and looked at the file and then, wide eyed, showed it to Drake and Jason.

"Is it just me, or is this too much for us to handle?" Jason asked the group.

"Well we have to handle it. Starting with your father's not meeting." Drake said going over to the phone.

"What about your dad?" Troy asked.

"One NIGHT soon. It's only," He paused to look at the clock on the wall. "2:15. Hello? Yeah I need a favor. I'm serious it's life or death…He is….but it's not that type of favor. I need you to stop a flight." The others looked at him weird as he placed the phone on speaker. A girls voice came over the phone.

"Alright, Ryan was it?" Ryan nodded and then thought about it. She couldn't see them. "I just needed to know which one of you it was. Now what flight is your father on?" All the others, except Drake, looked at the phone like the girl was crazy.

"Are you psychic too?" Jason asked.

"Nope, little camera in Drake's shirt," Drake lifted up his shirt to see one of the buttons on it had a tiny lens in it. Drake glared at the button accusationally. "Don't be mad at me, mom made me do it. Now what flight?"

"Uh hold on." He rifled through his father's second schedule book he left for his mother to look at when he was gone. "A47 to San Diego, but it's leaving right now."

"No it's not. Drake, turn on the T.V." Drake looked around the room and then turned on the T.V. beside the desk. The channel flickered to the airport security system.

"Dude who is this chick?" Jason asked looking into the phone.

"Megan P-Belldum." She said, quickly covering her mistake.

"No, it's Megan Parker…My sister." Drake lifted the button and smiled proudly into it. They looked back at the screen to see the plane Ryan's dad was on leaving, and then stopping as the screen's started to go haywire.

"A little bug I've been working on. I was gonna use it when you half-assed your work on a project or something, but I figure now you owe me one."

"More then you know." Drake said smiling into the button.

"How long will that hold them?" Ryan asked.

"For about two hours, unless they've got a really good hacker, which means it could be up and running in about half an hour."

"That's fine, I need you to make a call if you can. Hide your voice or something and tell my dad that his stock in Cal Tech is dropping rapidly and he needs to either call or meet Roy at gate G42."

"Nice, now do you actually want me to drop the stock, or do you want to just make him think that?"

"Drop it, or at least give the appearance of a drop, He might check." Megan gave him an ok and went to work.

"Thanks Meg, you're the best." Drake said into the phone.

"You got it, oh, and I stole your cell, in case you were looking for it."

"What the…" Drake looked through his pocket and then glared at the button. "Give it back." He stated angrily.

"Can't, it's my new hamster's wheel." With that, Megan hung up. Drake stared, open mouthed, at the button.

"Your sister's evil." Jason said.

"Yeah, I know you said your sister made that knock out gas, but I didn't really believe you until now." Troy added. They looked up at the screen to see Ryan's dad talking frantically on his cell and rushing off to another gate. He walked off screen and then the screen changed to another camera to follow him.

"Your sister is awesome." Thorsten said. The others nodded.

"So what'd you want to meet me here for?" His father asked Peter. They were sitting on a park bench, the same one Troy was on, talking. Peter tightened the scarf around his neck before speaking.

"I have something to tell you."

"Does it have anything to do with why you wanted to move out here?" His father asked him. Peter had moved out here because his old school was horrible for him. Once he got into it with Riley people started to make fun of him, and in some cases, fight him because they thought he was the resident fag. Sure he was bad, but he hadn't deserved some of the things he went to. The principal did nothing either. He'd even walk off sometimes when people started to bother him. The thing that pushed him over the top though, was an altercation in the locker room that almost went too far…

_**Peter put his towel around his waist as he came out of the shower. He always waited until everyone was gone from the locker room to take his showers, going in earlier or later, to make sure no one walked in or tried to ambush him. He went to his locker and opened it. He saw a note that said 'turn around'. He ducked down as he turned and just dodged a fist that would have been a broken nose. He ducked under the person and tried to run out of the room, as he got to the door, however, a pair of strong arms wrapped around him and held him in place. He struggled to get free until he felt another pair wrap around his waist. The boy behind him chuckled in his ear. He glared at the jock in front of him. He had dark hair and bright blue eyes. Jared Taylor, Linebacker, and the other had to be his boss, Randy Johnson, star quarterback. They were the two people on the football team that had been attacking him the most. "What do you want?" Peter asked, slightly scared, but making sure not to show it.**_

"_**You." Peter shivered from the hot breath against his ear. "I guess you want us to."**_

"_**No way in hell." Peter stated simply. The boy behind him reached down and grabbed hold of his genitals through the towel.**_

"_**I beg to differ, and seems I'm not the only one." The boy said. His friend laughed as he grinded his hips into Peter's. Despite Peter's morals, he let out a soft moan, immediately mentally kicking himself for doing so.**_

"_**You getting hard for us baby?" The boy in front of him asked Peter. He leaned down and started to suck on Peter's neck. Peter, realizing what could happen if he didn't get away, pushed them off of him, new found strength and then some, and rushed to the back of the room, looking for a way out. **_

"_**Come on. You can run, but you can't hide." Peter rushed into the shower room and started to turn on the showers. The steam they created helped him sneak around without being noticed. He cursed himself for breathing so heavy. He slowed down his breath and then paused them all together as he heard footsteps along the tile of the showers. He leaned against a wall and slumped down, holding in his tears, fearing that they might find him. He prayed to someone, anyone that they would just leave him alone.**_

"_**Well, well, what do we have here." The first boy said, leaning against the wall and sliding down it to sit next to Peter, the second boy sat down on Peter's other side. Peter glared up into the sky, wondering why Falsironical would do such a thing.**_

"_**Just leave me alone." Peter pleaded with the boys as he looked down and cried silently.**_

"_**I can't do that sweetie." The boy said. "See, I'm a little horny, and until you give us what we want, we can't leave you alone." The boy placed a hand on Peter's knee. Peter tensed, but didn't move. The boy slid a tender hand up Peter's thigh until it stopped over Peter' groin. Peter tried to hold himself back, but he leaned into the touch slightly. He nearly moaned as he felt the boy wrap his hand around his member as his friend started his previous task of kissing Peter's neck. Peter was enjoying this…whatever it was. He then realized that he may have physically wanted this, but his mind was trying to leave his body. When he dragged it back, it took over his body and Peter jumped up and rushed from the shower room. The first boy grabbed at him, but managed to only get his towel. Peter rushed into the locker area and slammed into another person. He looked up to see Riley. He looked back and the two boys came out of the room.**_

"_**Thanks Riley, we can take it from here." The second one had said. Riley glared at him and punched the boy. The first boy, the one who was being 'nice', glared at Riley.**_

"_**Come on Riles, we were just having some fun." Riley grabbed the boy's brown locks and pushed him up against a locker. Green glared at sky blue.**_

"_**Stay away from him. He's a dumb fag, but he doesn't deserve this." Riley said. Something about the way he said it made Peter feel he was choosing his words. The boy just shrugged Riley off him and the two boys walked off. Randy winked at Peter as he walked out. Peter turned to thank Riley when a hand came past his vision and slammed against the locker behind him. Riley had him pinned up against the locker. He brushed his free hand over Peter's chest lightly. Peter leaned in and laced a kiss on Riley's cheek, pushing him away slightly.**_

"_**Even if you did want me, we both know you don't want me like this." Peter said forcing Riley to look at him. Peter's eyes were tear stained. He looked like someone ran over his puppy and Riley realized Peter was right.**_

"_**You need to leave."**_

"_**I need to get dressed too-"**_

"_**I mean town. I wont be able to save you next time, and knowing them, there will be a next time." Peter shivered at the thought and nodded to Riley. He leaned up to kiss Riley on the cheek, but Riley turned his head and kissed Peter on the lips. They stood there for what seemed like forever until, reluctantly, Peter pulled away and smiled. Riley nodded back and walked out of the room, taking a look back as Peter wiggled his ass while he walked back over to his locker. "I will jump your bones." Riley said jokingly as he stood at the door. Peter immediately stopped his sashaying and opened his locker, quickly pulling on his underwear. He turned to say something to the brown haired boy, but he was already gone. Peter smiled to himself and then finished changing and left out. The very next day he called his mom up to tell her he wanted to change schools. He said that he would finish high school, but Degrassi wasn't cutting it. He broke up with Mia, the previous night confirming what Riley had set into motion. She told him to never call her or talk to her again. He was fine with that. He knew that he'd be able to make up some story and there would be no problems. Before he left he heard that Randy was caught 'Kindly' molesting another boy and was expelled and charged for attempted rape. He was glad that the bastard didn't get away with it, on either account…**_

"Well speak up boy, what is it?" Peter's father asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Oh….nothing too important…..just that I'm gay." Peter stated simply. He stood and walked off. He knew his father would want to say something. He just didn't want to hear it at the moment. He continued on to the exit to the park and was about to wave the driver over when he felt something connect with the back of his head. He fell to the ground, seeing his scarf fly away across the ground as he fell. Then everything went black.

"So that's it? You don't even want to know why, don't want to know if I really am or not?" Troy's father asked.

"I don't care Jack. You could say that this was just a lapse and that it will never happen again. What's stopping it from happening?" His wife asked. He just looked down at his feet. "I can't…..I WONT do this…..Goodbye." Se said. Jack stood and pulled the suitcases with him toward the bedroom door.

"I know you'll hate me for saying this…..but I still love you." With that, Jack walked out of the bedroom and out of the house, leaving Janice on their bed, crying.

"So we stopped your dad's from meeting, and maybe they wont now. So that takes care of you guys." Drake said to Thorsten and Ryan. "No idea what she told you, and if it's something only for the two of you, maybe it should stay that way." Drake said to Troy and Jason. "And my dad isn't going to come anytime soon, or he shouldn't. So that leaves-" Drake paused and then rushed to the phone. He dialed Peter's number.

"Hey, this is Peter, sorry you missed me, leave me a message at the beep…Beeeep….just kidding." The beep sounded and the boys just stood there until Drake hit the off button on the speaker phone

"Shit." Troy said, voicing what the others were thinking….

* * *

A/N:…..It's done…oh my goodness…the story is over….how cruel….oh wait….that's just chapter one….I write to damn much….anyway, hope you liked it. Also, yes there are character deaths, but I'm not sure if one of them will be Peter.

Icy: How about one of them be you?…

Storm: Shut up, and fans, my stories I read and write have soundtracks….I feel like an idiot. I was editing this and was listening to 'Stupid Little Love Song'. Just as I got to the part with Randy being expelled and Peter leaving, the song sang, 'Captain of the football team, The cheerleaders recurring dream.' I was being stupid and sang the next few lines pointing at Randy's name. Sadly, the next lines were, 'You're on the bus to Harvard Law, I'm on the bus to Arkansas.' I changed the word Arkansas to Albuquerque in my head and busted up laughing at my own idiocy. Anyway I-…Do you feel that?

Both: (Looks around and feels weird energy)…..….weird.../(_)\…[(_)]….

Nameless: They'll find out who it is soon enough….

Both: /(O_O)\ [(O_O)]…..WHO THE FUCK IS IT?

Nameless:…..Have fun waiting for the next chapter, R&R Please

-Icy and Storm, Nameless….and F?

Both: /(O_O)\ [(O_O)]…..WHO THE FUCK IS IT?

Nameless: Oh yeah, the numbers

1- Changed how this moment went. For the sweeter version between Ryan and Troy, read 'Lockdown' by Tertiary Genesis. Go read it, it's awesome. And I did not steal that moment…I just borrowed it….yeah that's it….lol….no hurting or suing please...Kettle, pepper them up for me…

Kettle: U(;)_(;)U

Nameless: Good boy….did it work…well while I wait and see, numbers…

2- No idea if they really hang out, but hey, they do in here. Besides, was that, or was that not a cute moment?

3- I liked his last name, but didn't want to just use it like that, so he has a Poke'mon as a last name…..ok I was hopped up on Kool-Aid, but still…

4-I hadn't actually connected this story to that until right when I had Troy's father say this. I looked up the movie synopsis, seeing as how I've never seen it, and laughed my ass off when I learned the father/mentor figure of the group was named Jack. This also gave me the title to this story, ^_^. Anyone want me to make this story like that movie, send me info on the movie or clips that you'd like to see reworked from it, or if you like this the way it is, don't….lol…


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